Duke basketball is back at Cameron Indoor Stadium as the Blue Devils prepare to take on the Belmont Bruins in an exhibition matchup on Thursday night. With the regular season approaching, the game offers Duke its first opportunity to get on the floor against outside competition and begin building toward the challenges that await in the coming months.
While the result won’t count toward the regular-season record, the exhibition provides a valuable opportunity for Jon Scheyer and his staff to evaluate the roster, experiment with different lineup combinations, and begin establishing the team’s identity. With new faces joining the program and expectations once again high in Durham, there will be plenty to watch when the Blue Devils take the court. The matchup also features a familiar face on the opposing sideline. Belmont is led by head coach Evan Bradds, a former member of Duke’s coaching staff who understands the program and the standards that come with competing against the Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke vs. Belmont: Game Information
- Date: Thursday, October 8
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina
- Opponent: Belmont Bruins
- Game Type: Exhibition
- TV: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX)
- Streaming: ESPN app or WatchESPN
What to Watch for in Duke’s First Exhibition
The opening exhibition is less about the final score and more about what Duke can learn before the games begin to count. Scheyer will have an opportunity to evaluate how the pieces fit together, identify potential rotations, and see how the team responds to live competition. For a program with championship aspirations, establishing chemistry early is especially important. The exhibition against Belmont gives Duke a chance to work through some of those questions before the pressure of the regular season arrives. How the team handles defensive assignments, shares the ball, and executes in the half court will be worth monitoring throughout the night.
It will also be an opportunity for individual players to make an early impression. Exhibition games can provide valuable minutes for players competing for rotation spots, while established contributors can begin finding their rhythm within the team’s overall system.
A Familiar Face on Belmont’s Sideline
Belmont head coach Evan Bradds brings a connection to Duke that adds another layer to Thursday night’s matchup. Bradds previously worked on the Blue Devils’ coaching staff, giving him firsthand experience with the program and its approach to the game. Now leading the Bruins, Bradds gets an opportunity to bring his team into one of college basketball’s most recognizable venues for a preseason test against his former program. Although the exhibition setting means the stakes are different from a regular-season contest, the matchup should offer Belmont a valuable measuring stick against an opponent with national championship ambitions.
Duke to Be Without Caleb Foster and Drew Scharnowski
Duke will be shorthanded for Thursday night’s exhibition, with guard Caleb Foster and big man Drew Scharnowski both unavailable. Their absences will give Jon Scheyer and his staff an opportunity to evaluate other options as they work to establish the team’s rotation ahead of the regular season. Foster is nursing an ankle he tweaked in practice while Scharnowski is nearing his comeback from a knee issue. Both are expected to be ready to go for the season opener. Foster’s absence leaves Duke without another guard option, while Scharnowski’s unavailability means the Blue Devils will have one fewer big man available in the frontcourt. The exhibition should provide additional opportunities for other players to pick up minutes and demonstrate what they can contribute as Duke continues to build chemistry. With the regular season approaching, getting a better understanding of the team’s depth and how different lineup combinations perform will be among the key objectives against Belmont.
The Bottom Line
Thursday’s exhibition is the first step in Duke’s preparation for another demanding season. The Blue Devils won’t be playing for a spot in the standings just yet, but the opportunity to build chemistry, test lineups, and establish an identity makes the game an important part of the preseason process.
Duke and Belmont tip off at 7 p.m. ET from Cameron Indoor Stadium. Fans can watch the exhibition on ACC Network Extra, with streaming available through the ESPN app or Watch ESPN.
The Teams
Belmont Bruins
Belmont enters Thursday night’s exhibition coming off an impressive 26-6 season, including a 16-4 record in conference play. The Bruins will have a new voice leading the program after Casey Alexander departed for Kansas State, with former Duke staffer Evan Bradds stepping in as head coach. Bradds inherits a team facing significant turnover, having lost its top four scorers and top two rebounders from last season. There is still some experience to build around, however, with guards Jabez Jenkins and Jack Smiley returning after averaging 9.0 and 8.5 points per game, respectively, while Eoin Dillon also returns after contributing 7.6 points per contest. With so much production to replace and a new coaching staff in place, Belmont will have plenty to sort out as it prepares for the upcoming season.
Duke Blue Devils
Duke faces some significant departures of its own after losing Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, its top two scorers from a team that finished 35-3 and went 17-1 in ACC play last season. The Blue Devils do, however, return a strong foundation, led by third-leading scorer Patrick Ngongba, senior guard Caleb Foster, and sophomores Cayden Boozer and Dame Sarr. The addition of transfer guard John Blackwell should provide an immediate scoring boost, while a talented freshman class gives Jon Scheyer more options as he continues to shape the roster. Although Duke will need to replace considerable offensive production, the combination of returning experience, an established transfer, and a versatile group of young players gives the Blue Devils plenty of potential. Thursday’s exhibition will offer an early look at how those pieces fit together, particularly with Foster and Scharnowski ( a former Belmont Bruin) unavailable for the matchup.
