Jon Scheyer isn't afraid of pitting his team against anybody, including some of the best college basketball programs in the country. Because of that, the Duke Blue Devils have one of the most difficult non-conference schedules ahead of them.
With matchups against top-tier programs Kansas, Texas Tech, and more, it will be hard for any other team to compare its non-conference schedule to that of the Blue Devils.
Duke men's basketball non-conference schedule
- The ACC/SEC Challenge
- vs. Kansas (Champions Classic)
- vs. Texas - Charlotte, Nov. 4
- at Army - Nov. 11
- vs. Arkansas - Chicago, Nov. 27
- at Michigan State - December
- vs. Texas Tech - Madison Square Garden, Dec. 20
- vs. Michigan - Washington, D.C., February
However, one fellow ACC program is seemingly scrambling to build a non-conference schedule that could at least stay within reach of Duke's: none other than rival North Carolina.
The UNC Tar Heels and head coach Hubert Davis shared that they had scheduled a home-and-home series with the Georgetown Hoyas, with one game in Chapel Hill and one game in Washington, D.C., during the 2025-26 season.
No, scheduling Georgetown for a two-game series in the same season doesn't pale in comparison to playing against teams like the ones on Duke's schedule. However, the Hoyas have garnered a lot of respect since the turn of the century and at least give the Tar Heels a step in the right direction.
Yet, not many people were all that impressed by UNC's latest opponent, stating the fact that even if the Tar Heels pull off the sweep, North Carolina will still lack any real "chutzpah" on its schedule.
Duke isn't expected to be under threat when the Blue Devils face the Tar Heels in their two annual rivalry games next season. In fact, Duke is projected to glide through the ACC, a big reason behind Scheyer scheduling all of the difficult non-conference games.