Duke gets a much stiffer test on Tuesday night when it hosts Tennessee in its second exhibition game of the preseason, and this one should tell a lot more about where the Blue Devils really stand.
The ACC Network will carry the matchup, which comes after Duke opened with a lopsided 102-62 win over Belmont two weeks ago. In that game, 17-year-old freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje stole plenty of the attention by scoring 19 points in the 40-point victory.
Tennessee figures to force a very different kind of night. This is the second straight season the Blue Devils and Volunteers have met in an exhibition, with Duke going to Knoxville a year ago and coming away with an 83-76 win. The Vols arrive with a little something extra to prove after dropping their first exhibition game against Xavier in a rough outing.
Duke is also expected to be without key rotational pieces Caleb Foster and Drew Scharnowski again, though both are targeting a return for the regular-season opener on November 2nd against Army.
For Jon Scheyer and Duke, this is exactly the kind of game that should reveal more than practice ever can. Competitive exhibitions have a way of exposing holes, and Tennessee should provide the first real look at how this 2026-27 team handles pressure against a high-level opponent. You can look sharp all summer in workouts and still not know what holds up when the lights come on.
Rick Barnes brings in a Tennessee team that has reached the Elite Eight in each of the last three seasons, even if the program is still chasing its first Final Four. The Volunteers also reshaped their roster through the portal, adding Wake Forest’s Juke Harris, VCU’s Terrence Hill Jr., Cal’s Dai Dai Ames, Belmont’s Tyler Lundblade and Notre Dame’s Jalen Haralson, among others.
That makes Tennessee’s backcourt the area to watch, especially with Foster out. Duke will need Cayden Boozer and John Blackwell to handle the pressure, and freshman Deron Rippey Jr. will be important if he can give the Blue Devils solid minutes off the bench.
After Tuesday, Duke has one more exhibition left: a road trip to Kansas in Lawrence to finish the preseason schedule.
In Other News...
Dukes UNC Snap Counts Raised A Few New Lineup Questions
Dukes narrow 24-20 loss to North Carolina came with a few lineup clues tucked inside the snap counts, and they added another layer to a game the Blue Devils spent much of the afternoon chasing after an early hole. Pro Football Focus numbers showed transfer Javen Nicholas getting a season-high 11 snaps and hauling in two passes, a sign the staff kept searching for ways to get him involved as the offense tried to find answers.
On the other side of the ball, veteran Kimari Robinson opened at nickel cornerback with Evan Smith out, a move that gave Duke a different look in the secondary. There was also a bit of juggling at running back, where Nate Sheppard handled most of the workload despite dealing with a lower-body ailment, while backup CJ Campbell saw only limited action, leaving a few more questions for the Blue Devils to sort through after a tight rivalry game. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Suddenly Has One Big Problem Heading Into Virginia
Dukes early momentum has given way to a bumpier stretch, with the Blue Devils now sitting at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in ACC play after back-to-back losses, including the defeat at North Carolina. The recent review of the roster points to one area in particular that has become hard to ignore, as the passing game has not looked as sharp as it did when Duke was stacking wins earlier in the season.
As Virginia comes into focus, the concern is not just about the losing streak but about whether Duke can get the offense back to a steadier rhythm before league play tightens further. The position-by-position breakdown suggests there are still pieces in place to work with, but the next step will be finding more consistency where the Blue Devils have recently struggled most. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Loaded Roster Just Got One Clear Message Before Opening Night
Floridas return to the top of the preseason AP Top 25 puts an early spotlight on the heavyweight tier Duke is already standing in. The Gators checked in at No. 1 with 47 of 59 first-place votes, their first preseason No. 1 spot since 2006, while Duke landed at No. 2 and Illinois at No. 3 after both also drew first-place support. For a Blue Devils roster that has already been getting plenty of attention, the message before opening night is simple: the respect is real, but the runway to prove it starts now.
For Duke, being slotted just behind the nations top-ranked team only sharpens the stakes around a group built to be watched closely from the opening tip. Preseason polls do not decide anything, of course, but they do set the tone, and this one places the Blue Devils firmly in the middle of the championship conversation before a game has been played. The question now is whether all that early belief turns into the kind of season that matches the buzz. [Read more 🡒]