Game Preview: Duke vs. SIUE

#2 Duke Blue Devils (2-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. SIUE Cougars (2-2, 0-0 OVC)
Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 • 8:00 p.m. ET
Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314) • Durham, N.C.
TV: The CW
Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network from LEARFIELD

Duke returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium looking to bounce back after suffering its first loss of the season in Tuesday’s Champions Classic against Michigan State. The second-ranked Blue Devils host SIU Edwardsville, which comes to Durham at 2–2 after opening the season with two wins before dropping consecutive road games to Lipscomb and Missouri. This will be the first meeting between the programs.

2025–26 Season Recap

Duke enters the 2026–27 campaign coming off another outstanding season under Jon Scheyer, finishing 35–3 overall and 17–1 in ACC play. The Blue Devils captured both the ACC regular-season and tournament championships before advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, where their season ended with a heartbreaking 73–72 loss to UConn. Duke was one of the nation’s most balanced teams, averaging 81.6 points per game while allowing just 63.6, ranking among the country’s best defensive teams.

Despite losing significant production from last year’s roster, including its two leading scorers, Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, Duke returns four of its top six scorers in Patrick Ngongba II, Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, and Dame Sarr. That returning group gives Scheyer an experienced foundation, while the additions of several impact transfers and an intriguing freshman class provide the Blue Devils with plenty of options. The biggest questions will revolve around how quickly the newcomers adjust and how Duke replaces the scoring and leadership of the players who moved on.

Newcomers

Duke added nine newcomers for 2026–27, including three transfers and six freshmen. The group gives Scheyer additional backcourt depth, frontcourt size and several players who could factor into the rotation.

• John Blackwell – Transfer from Wisconsin; experienced guard expected to provide immediate scoring and perimeter production.

• Drew Scharnowski – Transfer from Belmont; 6’10 forward who averaged 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds last season and earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.

• Jacob Theodosiou – Transfer from Loyola Maryland; 6’4 guard who averaged 13.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season.

• Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje – 7’2 freshman forward/center with international experience.

• Bryson Howard – 6’4 freshman wing and former top-15 national recruit.

• Maxime Meyer – 7’1 freshman center from Canada.

• Deron Rippey Jr. – Highly regarded freshman point guard from Brooklyn.

• Cameron Williams – 7’0 freshman forward from Arizona.

• Nick Arnold – Freshman guard from North Carolina.

Last Time Out

The Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season Tuesday night, falling 79–73 to No. 5 Michigan State in the Champions Classic at the United Center in Chicago. Duke trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before making a late push, but could not complete the comeback. John Blackwell led the way with 17 points, while Patrick Ngongba II finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocks. Caleb Foster and Sebastian Wilkins each added nine points. Duke struggled to find its shooting touch, finishing 20-of-60 from the field and 7-of-29 from three-point range.

2025–26 Season Recap

SIU Edwardsville is coming off a 19–13 season in which it finished 12–8 in Ohio Valley Conference play and placed fifth in the league standings. The Cougars made their sixth consecutive appearance in the OVC Tournament and continued a run of four straight winning seasons, compiling 77 victories over that span. Head coach Brian Barone enters his eighth season leading the program, which has steadily established itself as a competitive presence in the conference.

The Cougars’ identity has been built around their ability to defend and make opponents work for good looks. Last season, SIUE ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 64.7 points per game, and 11th in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 39.5 percent shooting. The challenge this season is maintaining that defensive identity while integrating a group of newcomers and replacing some of last year’s production.

Newcomers

SIUE brought in eight newcomers for 2026–27, split between four transfers and four freshmen. Some of the new faces include:

• Gianni Cobb – Transfer from Northern Illinois.

• Gestin Liberis – Transfer from Saint Francis.

• Jacob Martin – Transfer from Alabama.

• David Wilson – Junior forward from Independence Community College.

• Brennan Miller – Freshman forward from Lawrence North High School.

• Kain McCaskill – Freshman guard from St. Louis.

• Jayden Riley – Freshman guard from Illinois.

• Belal Sohaib – Freshman forward from Egypt.

The Cougars also return senior guard Jordan Pickett, who has spent his entire collegiate career at SIUE, along with several other familiar faces.

Last Time Out

SIU Edwardsville is coming off a 96–58 loss to Missouri on Monday night at Mizzou Arena, dropping the Cougars to 2–2 on the season. Missouri took control early, building a 48–24 halftime lead behind a strong offensive performance that included 12 three-pointers. Dehrio McCaskill led SIUE with 11 points, while David Wilson added nine points and six rebounds. The Cougars struggled from the perimeter, finishing just 3-of-18 from three-point range, and will look to regroup against Duke after dropping back-to-back road games.

John Blackwell vs. Jordan Pickett

This is an intriguing matchup between two experienced guards who figure to be important offensive pieces for their respective teams. Blackwell is coming off a 17-point performance against Michigan State and gives Duke a proven perimeter scorer. Pickett, meanwhile, is in his senior season at SIUE and has averaged 11.5 points through the Cougars’ first four games. He has also been effective from three-point range, shooting 42.1 percent. Duke will need to make him work for his opportunities and prevent him from getting comfortable offensively.

Patrick Ngongba II vs. David Wilson

Ngongba has been one of Duke’s most consistent players early in the season, and his ability to control the paint will be important against a SIUE team that likes to attack inside. Wilson, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, is averaging 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 63 percent from the field. Ngongba has a clear size advantage, but Wilson’s efficiency around the basket makes him someone Duke cannot overlook. If Ngongba controls the glass and protects the rim, it will be difficult for SIUE to establish its preferred offensive approach.

Caleb Foster vs. Gianni Cobb

Cobb has made an immediate impact after transferring from Northern Illinois, averaging 10 points and three assists through four games. Foster’s defensive pressure and ability to make plays on the other end could be important in disrupting SIUE’s backcourt. Duke will want to keep Cobb from getting into the lane and creating easy opportunities for the Cougars, while Foster can help set the tone with his on-ball defense.

1. Control the paint.

SIUE has shown an ability to generate offense inside, averaging 49.5 points in the paint through its first four games. Duke has the size and rim protection to make that difficult, particularly with Ngongba and Boumtje Boumtje patrolling the interior. The Blue Devils need to protect the basket without giving up easy offensive rebounds or putting themselves in foul trouble.

2. Get the perimeter shooting back on track

Duke struggled from beyond the arc against Michigan State, making just seven of 29 attempts. The Blue Devils have too many capable shooters to let one difficult night become a trend. Better ball movement, cleaner looks, and more balanced offensive contributions should help Duke get back into rhythm. SIUE has also struggled from three-point range recently, so the Cougars will need to find some perimeter production to keep pace.

3. Limit second-chance opportunities

Duke needs to finish defensive possessions. SIUE pulled down 12 offensive rebounds against Missouri despite losing the overall rebounding battle, and the Cougars have several players capable of making an impact on the glass. Ngongba, Scharnowski, and the rest of Duke’s frontcourt need to be physical and make sure SIUE does not get extra opportunities.

4. Set the defensive tone early.

Duke’s defensive pressure was not enough to overcome its offensive struggles against Michigan State, but the Blue Devils remain one of the nation’s best defensive teams. They are averaging seven blocks per game and have the length to disrupt passing lanes, contest shots, and force difficult possessions. SIUE will be looking to attack the basket, so Duke needs to make every trip down the floor a challenge.

5. Play with better offensive discipline

The Michigan State game exposed some areas Duke needs to clean up, particularly shot selection and execution when the offense gets stagnant. The Blue Devils should look to move the ball, attack mismatches, and avoid settling for contested jumpers. With the talent and depth on this roster, balanced scoring should be a priority.

Honestly the eyes of the fandom will be watching this game closely to see what kind of adjustments are made after never having a lead in the Champions Classic. I am not sure we’ll see much in the way of a well-oiled machine unless Duke does more doubling down on what they’ve been doing—just doing it to the level they expect from this team. If there are new wrinkles introduced, then I expect there to be a few more mistakes, as there really hasn’t been a lot of time for new installs since Tuesday. I tend to lean toward the former, that Duke will just get back to playing a much tougher brand of defense and fighting for better offensive execution.

Duke has a significant advantage in size, depth, and overall talent, but the Blue Devils need to respond after Tuesday’s loss with a more consistent offensive performance. SIUE has demonstrated that it can score around the basket, and its defensive identity from last season makes it a team that should not be dismissed. If Duke controls the paint, wins the rebounding battle and gets its perimeter shooting back on track, the Blue Devils should be in position to get back into the win column at Cameron Indoor Stadium.