The wait is finally over. Tonight at 8:45 pm EST, No. 6 Duke basketball will take on the Texas Longhorns in its first game of the 2025-26 regular season. After last year's painful defeat to Houston in the Final Four, it's a moment that Duke fans have been counting down to for months.
The matchup is more or less a home game for Duke, which will be effectively playing at home in Charlotte's Spectrum Center. With what could be the hardest non-conference slate in the nation, the Blue Devils' opener against Texas is an opportunity to make a statement against an unproven Longhorns squad. The long-awaited tip-off of the regular season provides new opportunities for fans to evaluate the team, and below are the four things they will want to monitor tonight.
4 things Duke fans need to watch for against Texas
1. Can Cameron Boozer continue his dominance?
Boozer was absolutely fantastic in the two exhibition contests, averaging 28.5 points and 17.0 rebounds. He looked completely at home during his first taste of college basketball, dominating on both ends of the floor. The star freshman exceeded the already-high expectations that come with being the No. 3-ranked player in his class. Now, he gets a chance to make it count for real in the first game of the regular season. Looking at the Longhorns' projected starting lineup, it's hard to see anyone who can match Boozer's explosiveness. Assuming the lights aren't too bright for Boozer, fans should expect to see another stat-sheet-stuffing performance.
2. Cayden Boozer vs. an experienced Longhorns backcourt
It's unclear exactly how much time Cayden Boozer will see against the Longhorns, as his minutes were cut significantly against Tennessee compared to UCF. However, with no other point guards on the roster, Boozer is the clear backup to Caleb Foster. The 4-star freshman initially struggled to keep up with the pace of the college game in his debut, but eventually settled down and proved his value as the team went +27 with him on the court. The Longhorns have a pair of experienced, scrappy guards in Tramon Mark and Chendall Weaver who could make life very difficult for the freshman. How Boozer deals with the pressure will definitely interest Jon Scheyer and could dictate the size of his role moving forward.
3. Maliq Brown's health and availability
There's no question the Blue Devils are a vastly better team with Brown on the court, and therefore will be raring to get him back in action. However, Jon Scheyer cast doubt over Brown's availability in his press conference last week, and there haven't been any updates on the big man's status since. Scheyer said he's hoping to avoid any setbacks with Brown's injury, no doubt influenced by last year's series of unfortunate events. If Brown does suit up, it will be interesting to see how many minutes he is able to go. If not, fans should keep a close eye on both him and what Scheyer says following the game.
4. What kind of a role will Sebastian Wilkins play?
The true freshman Wilkins came to Durham as an under-the-radar recruit, but quickly impressed over the summer, turning heads in practice and scrimmages. His rapid rise prompted some to wonder if he may even earn a starting nod in the fall, but after two exhibition games, his role is difficult to evaluate. He went 2-3 from the field in 10 minutes against UCF, but was barely featured against Tennessee. It's hard to imagine Cameron Boozer playing 39 minutes again as he did against the Vols, which could open up an opportunity for Wilkins. But with Dame Sarr and Darren Harris also clamoring at the end of the bench, Wilkins' best hope for playing time may be if the Blue Devils can turn tonight's game into a blowout.