Can't-Miss Showdowns: Duke's Top 10 Games of the Upcoming Basketball Season

Duke basketball faces a challenging schedule this season, ensuring the Blue Devils will be battle-tested and ready for March Madness.  From high-profile home and away games to blockbuster matchups on neutral courts, the regular season is packed with fierce competition.  Below, you'll find Duke Report's top 10 can't-miss showdowns, listed in the order they appear on the season schedule.

#1 Duke vs Kentucky - Champions Classic - State Farm Arena - Atlanta, Georgia - 11/12/24

Even with Coach Cal moving from Kentucky to take the helm at Arkansas, this game still promises to be a classic blue bloods battle.  Duke holds a 3-1 record against Kentucky in this iconic event, but you can bet the Wildcats, now led by new head coach Mark Pope, will be out for revenge.  This matchup has all the makings of a top-25 showdown.

#2 Duke vs Arizona - McKale Memorial Center - Tucson, Arizona - 11/22/24 

Last season, Caleb Love and his squad shocked Duke with a win at Cameron Indoor Stadium, so you can bet Blue Devil fans are eager to return the favor by giving Love a taste of defeat in his fifth and final college season.  This game is shaping up to be a top-10 matchup, or at the very least a top-25 clash, and it’s bound to bring plenty of intensity.

#3 Duke vs Kansas - T-Mobile Arena - Las Vegas, Nevada - 11/26/24

Just four days later, Duke hits the road again for another marquee game, this time taking on Kansas in the 2024 Vegas Showdown at T-Mobile Arena.  This neutral-court clash in Las Vegas has the potential to be a top-5 matchup, and if it’s anything like Duke’s thrilling win over Gonzaga in Vegas back in 2021, fans are in for a treat.  Expect the Blue Devil faithful to show up in force, ready to paint Sin City blue.

#4 Duke vs Auburn - ACC/SEC Challenge - Cameron Indoor Stadium - Durham, North Carolina - 12/4/24

December kicks off with a bang as Duke takes on Auburn at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the ACC/SEC Challenge.  With Bruce Pearl prowling the sidelines and the Cameron Crazies bringing their A-game, this showdown has top-10 potential written all over it.

#5 Duke vs Pittsburgh - Cameron Indoor Stadium - Durham, North Carolina -  1/7/25 

Pittsburgh pulled off the upset over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium last season, marking their first win there since 1979.  Duke fans certainly remember when Pittsburgh's Blake Hinson jumped onto the press row tables and celebrated in front of the Cameron Crazies.  It’s one thing to celebrate a win, especially at Cameron Indoor, but it’s another to taunt the Crazies in that fashion.  When Pitt returns to town this season (even with Hinson gone and currently testing free agency in the NBA), the Cameron Crazies will not have forgotten.  Expect them to bring their A-game as Duke looks to avenge last season’s loss.

#6 Duke vs NC State - Cameron Indoor Stadium - Durham, North Carolina - 1/27/25 

​NC State and Duke squared off three times last season in March. Duke won the regular-season matchup on the road, but NC State secured the two most memorable victories: first in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals in Washington, DC, and then in the Elite Eight in Dallas, ending Duke’s season.  Whether NC State is ranked or not, this game makes my top 10 because I expect Duke and the Cameron Crazies to be seeking revenge in this home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

#7 Duke vs North Carolina - Cameron Indoor Stadium - Durham, North Carolina -   2/1/25

​This rivalry game needs no introduction—it's one of the biggest, if not the biggest, rivalries in all of sports.  Last season, the Tar Heels swept the Blue Devils, winning both in Chapel Hill in February and at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the regular season's final game.  I remember seeing Cooper Flagg walk off the court at Cameron last March (I snapped the photo below) as he witnessed the Blue Devils' home loss.  The first of the two-game regular season series returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium.  Blue Devil fans, the Cameron Crazies, and Cooper Flagg and company will be eager to turn the tide, aiming for a home victory in this epic rivalry and sending Carolina back to Hell.

#8 Duke vs Virginia - John Paul Jones Arena - Charlottesville, Virginia -  2/17/25

Although Duke didn’t play in Charlottesville last season, their past battles at John Paul Jones Arena have been nothing short of epic.  From Tyus Jones’ clutch three-pointer in 2015 to Zion Williamson’s jaw-dropping block on De’Andre Hunter in 2019—sending the ball into the stands and possibly beyond downtown Charlottesville—these games are etched in history.  Rankings don’t matter when these two teams clash, and you can count on the UVA fanbase to bring their  A-game. When Duke rolls into town, expect another thrilling showdown filled with intensity and unforgettable moments.

#9 Duke vs Illinois - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY - 2/22/25 

​A mid-season non-conference clash against Illinois at Cameron North... I mean Madison Square Garden on February 22nd will shake things up in the midst of ACC play.  This neutral-court matchup provides a valuable test against a potential NCAA Tournament team, just weeks before the big dance kicks off.
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#10 Duke vs North Carolina - Dean Smith Center - Chapel Hill, North Carolina -  3/8/25

Duke will wrap up the regular season with a highly anticipated rematch against North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  This game has all the makings of a top-10 showdown, if not a top-25 clash.  With ESPN’s College GameDay likely setting up shop at Chapel Hill for this fierce rivalry, there could be significant stakes on the line, including ACC Tournament seeding and NCAA Tournament positioning.  The Duke players and fans will be eager to return the favor and complete a regular-season sweep of UNC, aiming to end on a high note as they gear up for tournament play.

Duke will play 10 games out of its 31 regular season games against NCAA Tournament teams from last season.  (Kentucky - 1, Arizona - 1, Kansas - 1, Auburn - 1, Illinois - 1, Clemson -1, NC State -1, Virginia -1, North Carolina -2.  

Duke will play 3 games against teams from the Elite 8 last season. Illinois -1, NC State -1, and Clemson -1. 

Duke will play 1 game against a team from the Final Four last season.  NC State -1.

​Did I miss a top game?  What game or game(s) are you looking  forward to?   Reply in the blog and/or let us know on Twitter @DukeReport 

Now bring on the college basketball season!