Duke’s non-conference calendar for the 2026-27 season is officially out, and it comes with the kind of early test that has become a Scheyer trademark.
The Blue Devils are heading into the fifth year of the Jon Scheyer era, and the buzz around the program is still loud. After the way last season ended, Duke is aiming to get back to the Final Four. Scheyer has already guided the Blue Devils to three Elite Eight appearances, but the program has reached the Final Four only once under him, after a lead slipped away against Houston.
Now comes the next challenge: a loaded non-conference schedule that asks plenty right away.
That approach fits what Scheyer has done before. He has consistently stacked Duke’s non-conference slate with strong opponents, using those games to harden his team before postseason play. With the ACC having down years recently, that setup has only worked more in Duke’s favor.
Here’s the full schedule:
Nov. 2: vs. Army (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Nov. 5: vs. Coastal Carolina (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Nov. 10: vs. Michigan State (State Farm Champions Classic, United Center, Chicago, IL)
Nov. 13: vs. SIU Edwardsville (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Nov. 17: vs. Illinois (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Nov. 21: vs. Washington State (Palm Desert, CA)
Nov. 25: vs. UConn (Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Mansfield, CT)
Dec. 1: at Florida (ACC/SEC Challenge, Gainesville, FL)
Dec. 4: vs. Harvard (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Dec. 8: vs. Georgia (Jimmy V Classic, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY)
Dec. 15: vs. Campbell (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Dec. 17: vs. Grambling State (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Feb. 20: vs. Gonzaga (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
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