DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 9-ranked Duke men’s basketball team will open the 2020-21 season at home Wednesday, November 25 as the Atlantic Coast Conference announced its basketball schedule on Tuesday.
After last year’s postseason was canceled, and this year’s schedule delayed, by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blue Devils welcome Gardner Webb to Cameron Indoor Stadium the day before Thanksgiving to commence head coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s 41st season at Duke.
Duke will begin the men’s basketball schedule with no fans permitted at Cameron Indoor Stadium, continuing the University’s safety measures regarding the pandemic.
The Blue Devils are also scheduled to welcome Coppin State (Saturday, November 28) and Charleston Southern (Saturday, December 12) in non-conference action at Cameron Indoor.
Previously unveiled were a pair of home games as part of the Mako Medical Duke Classic Honoring Dr. Onye E. Akwari, which are Friday, December 4 versus Bellarmine and Sunday, December 6 versus Elon. Also previously announced was Duke’s matchup for the 22nd annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge – hosting No. 8 Illinois on Tuesday, December 8.
Beginning the ACC loop in mid-December, the Blue Devils travel to Notre Dame on Wednesday, December 16 and will not play again until hosting Pittsburgh on either December 29 or 30 in Durham.
The remainder of Duke’s 20-game ACC slate features home games versus Boston College (Jan. 5 or 6), Wake Forest (Jan. 9), Georgia Tech (Jan. 26 or 27), Clemson (Jan. 30), No. 16 North Carolina (Feb. 6), Notre Dame (Feb. 9 or 10), No. 4 Virginia (Feb. 20), Syracuse (Feb. 22) and Louisville (Feb. 27).
The balance of the road schedule has Duke set for battles at No. 21 Florida State (Jan. 2), Virginia Tech (Jan. 12 or 13), Pittsburgh (Jan. 19 or 20), Louisville (Jan. 23), Miami (Feb. 1), NC State (Feb. 13), Wake Forest (Feb. 16 or 17), Georgia Tech (March 2 or 3) and No. 16 North Carolina (March 6).
The ACC Tournament is scheduled for March 9-13 at Capital One Arena Washington, D.C.
The State Farm Champions Classic, which annually brings Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State together for a marquee early-season doubleheader, is set for Tuesday, December 1 at yet to be announced locations. Duke will battle No. 13 Michigan State, while No. 10 Kentucky and No. 6 Kansas clash the same date.
Game times and TV designations have not yet been announced, and the schedule is subject to change.
