The first real look at Duke’s preseason version arrives Tuesday night, when the Blue Devils host Tennessee at Cameron Indoor Stadium at 7:00 pm ET in their first exhibition of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
It’s the second straight year these teams have met in an exhibition, and Duke handled the Vols 83-76 in Knoxville last season. This time around, the Blue Devils come in after a lopsided 102-62 scrimmage win over Belmont on Oct. 8, a performance that suggested Jon Scheyer may have one of the best teams in the country.
Tennessee is waiting as the No. 8 team in the AP Preseason Top 25, while Duke sits at No. 2.
Three Blue Devils stand out as the most interesting players to track in this one.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje made a loud first impression in his first collegiate action. The 17-year-old freshman looked comfortable right away against Belmont and finished with a game-high-tying 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks. He did it on 7-of-11 shooting and knocked down 2-of-5 from deep.
That showing came with plenty of preseason buzz already attached. Boumtje Boumtje was named the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, landed on the Preseason All-ACC Second Team and even drew a vote for Preseason ACC Player of the Year. Against Belmont, he started and immediately showed how he can affect the game in multiple ways.
The bigger question now is how that carries over against Tennessee’s size and speed. Rick Barnes has assembled a group that can score in bunches and has length across the floor, which makes this a much stiffer test than Belmont. If Boumtje Boumtje produces again against a preseason top-10 opponent, it could be an early sign that he’s ready to become one of Duke’s main offensive pieces sooner rather than later.
Deron Rippey Jr. didn’t grab the same attention against Belmont, but he still had a real impact. The five-star freshman played 22 minutes and put up 11 points, two assists and a steal while bringing obvious defensive energy every time he checked in.
That side of his game will matter against Tennessee. The Vols are expected to play fast and lean on offense, and Rippey will have to match up with scoring guards like Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris and VCU transfer Terrence Hill Jr. His intensity and effort on defense already showed up against Belmont, and this game should reveal more about how well he can handle elite guard pressure.
Wilkins is another name worth watching because his role could end up being one of the more intriguing ones on the roster. He logged eight points, six rebounds and two steals against Belmont in 22 minutes, and the redshirt freshman’s value showed up in the little things.
At 6'8", Wilkins brings versatility and switchability on defense, and he also has real shooting upside. The clearest path for him this season looks like a 3-and-D wing coming off the bench, but he could also give Duke a scoring lift when needed. Against a Tennessee team that may want to play at a high clip, Wilkins has a chance to show exactly how much two-way help he can provide.
In Other News...
Duke Suddenly Has A Nate Sheppard Concern It Can't Ignore
Duke got a heavy dose of Nate Sheppard in the loss to North Carolina, and it came with a reminder that the Blue Devils may have more to monitor than just the final score. Even while not fully healthy, Sheppard was still a major factor, finishing with 77 rushing yards, 98 receiving yards and a touchdown as Duke slipped to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in ACC play.
The bigger concern is what that workload means going forward, especially with Virginia next on the schedule. Sheppards impact was obvious enough to draw praise from North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick, who called him the best running back in college football after the game, but Duke now has to balance how much it can lean on him against how well he can hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Let The Victory Bell Slip Away In Brutal Fashion
Duke turned a rivalry game that looked to be slipping away into a real live-wire finish, clawing back from a 17-point hole and finally seizing the lead late against North Carolina. Nate Sheppard was at the center of it, giving the Blue Devils a lift with 77 rushing yards and 98 receiving yards, capped by a late touchdown catch that put Duke in front and sent the sideline into celebration.
The defense had enough chances to make that lead stand, but the final minutes belonged to North Carolina, which answered with the winning touchdown under two minutes remaining in a 24-20 escape. For Duke, the frustration is not just the loss itself but how close it came after such a hard-earned rally, with a chance to own the Victory Bell slipping away in the harshest possible fashion. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Sophomores Just Set The Tone For This Blue Devils Team
Chemistry is never a bad thing to hear about in October, and Dukes sophomore trio of Dame Sarr, Cayden Boozer and Sebastian Wilkins sounded eager to make that a defining part of this group on The Brotherhood Podcast. With the Blue Devils coming in ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, there is already plenty of attention on the talent in Durham, but the early message from the younger players is that the locker room feels competitive in the right way and connected enough to handle the spotlight.
That matters because Duke is about to get a real test run before the games start counting. The Blue Devils will host an exhibition against No. 8 Tennessee, then turn around for another exhibition with No. 17 Kansas before opening the regular season at home against Army on Nov. 2. For a team with big expectations, those first chances to show how the pieces fit may say as much about the season ahead as any ranking does. [Read more 🡒]