One of Gonzaga’s biggest nonconference dates now has a tipoff attached to it.
The Bulldogs will face Duke at 5 p.m. PT on Feb. 20 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, a matchup that figures to draw plenty of attention if both programs open the season where many early rankings expect them to be.
The game will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime, part of Duke’s multiyear deal with the platform. Ticket information has not been released yet.
Duke is also set for two other Amazon Prime games this season, meeting UConn on Nov. 25 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Texas Tech on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
This will be the sixth meeting all-time between Gonzaga and Duke, and the first since Nov. 26, 2021. That game featured Paolo Banchero and Duke edging Chet Holmgren and Gonzaga in a showdown between the players who would eventually go No. 1 and No. 2 in the NBA Draft.
Gonzaga’s last win in the series came in the 2018 Maui Invitational title game, when Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke helped push Mark Few’s team to an 89-87 victory over a Duke squad led by Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish.
Before that, the Blue Devils had taken the previous three matchups. They beat Gonzaga 66-52 in the 2015 NCAA Elite Eight at NRG Stadium in Houston, and also won nonconference games at Madison Square Garden in 2007 and 2010.
Both programs could be sitting in the top 10 or top 15 when the 2026-27 season begins, and Duke has shown up as high as No. 2 in some early preseason polls.
The Blue Devils are also facing a roster transition after losing the Naismith Player of the Year for the second straight season with center Cam Boozer leaving for the NBA. Even so, they return four of their top six scorers from last season and add Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, who brings more scoring punch. Duke’s incoming class also includes four five-star prospects, led by FC Barcelona product Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje.
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Gonzaga Finally Gets A Break At Point Guard When It Needed One
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For a team that has spent the offseason juggling uncertainty, having a reliable point guard option matters as much as almost anything else. De Sousas arrival gives the Bulldogs some stability in the backcourt and a player they can count on as the season approaches, even as questions remain around the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzaga Finally Has One Answer At Point Guard But Not Full Clarity
Gonzagas point guard picture got a little clearer this week with the addition of Nathan De Sousa, a 23-year-old from France who has been cleared by the NCAA to compete for the Bulldogs in the 2026-27 season. De Sousa has signed a financial aid agreement with the school, and Gonzaga officially added him to the roster, giving the program at least one established option at the position as the season approaches.
Still, the full answer at point guard remains unsettled. Gonzaga is waiting on eligibility rulings for transfers Xaivian Lee and Javon Bennett, both of whom are tied up in ongoing legal proceedings with the NCAA, so the Bulldogs have one piece in place but not the complete board yet. For a team that has leaned on guard play for so much of its success, the next decision or two could shape how the backcourt comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzagas Duke Showdown Just Got Even Bigger For Zags Fans
Gonzaga fans already had a loaded calendar, and now the February 20 meeting with Duke has become even more of a spotlight game. The matchup will be part of an exclusive Amazon Prime broadcast deal, putting one of the Bulldogs biggest nonconference tests in a prime national window and adding another layer of attention to a season that is packed with marquee dates.
The Blue Devils are only one piece of a schedule that keeps stacking up quality opponents for Gonzaga, with Oregon, Purdue, LSU, UCLA, Creighton, Michigan State and Kansas State all on the slate as well. Before the games start counting, the Bulldogs will also get an exhibition tune-up against Arkansas on October 25, and fans will have a chance to gather for a team event on October 3. [Read more 🡒]