Duke’s Dec. 21 trip to Madison Square Garden already carried plenty of weight. Now it looks a lot more dangerous.
The Blue Devils are set to meet Texas Tech in New York after Michigan was removed from the schedule because of ongoing media rights disputes, and the Red Raiders suddenly look like a far more serious test. What had seemed like one of the less intimidating names on Duke’s loaded non-conference slate may no longer fit that description.
That shift comes with Friday’s announcement that former Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams is headed back to Lubbock for a fifth season of eligibility. The move follows a preliminary injunction granted by US District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney to all high school class of 2022 athletes who completed their fourth season of eligibility in the spring, opening the door to a fifth year.
Williams was not selected in the 2026 NBA Draft and did not play in Summer League. With the NCAA still appealing those fifth-year eligibility cases, nothing is fully settled yet, but Texas Tech may have landed a major piece for now.
Williams spent two seasons with the Red Raiders from 2023-25 and was one of the top players in the country two years ago. In 2024-25, the 6'6" forward averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. He earned First Team All-Big 12 honors and helped Texas Tech reach the Elite Eight.
He then transferred to NC State for the 2025-26 season, where he posted solid numbers for a Wolfpack team that finished 20-14 and was knocked out in the First Four.
There is still real uncertainty around these fifth-year cases and which players will ultimately be eligible where. Even so, Williams’ return changes the outlook for Texas Tech in a major way and adds another high-end opponent to Duke’s schedule.
The Red Raiders still have some questions to answer. They lost star guard Christian Anderson, along with their fourth- and fifth-leading scorers from last season, LeJuan Watts and Jaylen Petty.
But Grant McCasland’s team also brings back two-time AP All-American JT Toppin, who tore his ACL in February and has no clear timetable for a return.
If Texas Tech keeps Williams and gets Toppin back at full strength, that duo would instantly rank among the best in college basketball. That would make Duke’s Garden matchup even more compelling.
McCasland also added several notable transfers: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, who averaged 20.7 points per game at UNLV; Cruz Davis, who put up 20.1 points per game at Hofstra; and Jamichael Stillwell, who averaged 11.6 points per game at UCF.
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The broader plan appears to lean on the ground game anyway, with Nate Sheppard and CJ Campbell Jr. expected to be central pieces. Still, the quarterback decision matters because it could shape how much versatility Duke can build into the offense, and Mahans profile adds a different kind of intrigue to a race that is just beginning to take form. [Read more 🡒]
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Nate Sheppard looks like the player most likely to benefit if that plan takes hold. After a strong season, he is positioned to be a major part of the backfield approach, giving Duke a proven runner to build around while the team sorts out who will lead the offense under center. [Read more 🡒]
Duke's Rebuilt Secondary Already Faces Pressure To Fix A Costly Problem
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The challenge now is turning that depth into cleaner results in the spots that hurt most a year ago, especially on third downs. Duke has leaned on transfer additions to help reshape the unit, but Stone also pointed to the role linebacker leadership can play in making the whole defense tighter and more consistent. For a secondary trying to settle quickly, the early days of camp are less about comfort than urgency, because the Blue Devils know the margin for another costly breakdown is already thin. [Read more 🡒]