Duke basketball opens season in Charlotte. Who is on Blue Devils’ schedule?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Duke opens 2025-26 season vs. Texas in inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational.
- Nonconference slate includes games against Kansas, Arkansas and likely Michigan.
- ACC trims schedule, allowing Duke to expand non-league matchups this season.
Duke’s Blue Devils will open the 2025-26 men’s basketball season in first Dick Vitale Invitational, it was announced Monday on the longtime ESPN broadcaster’s 86th birthday.
The Blue Devils will face the Texas Longhorns on Nov. 4 at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. The announcement was made jointly by ESPN Events and Charlotte Sports Foundation.
Tipoff time for the event to be shown on ESPN will be announced at a later date.
“ESPN has been such a vital part of my life since December 5, 1979, and I was so thrilled to learn that ESPN Events will have an annual Dick Vitale Invitational,” Vitale said in a statement. “ESPN has been family to me and has given me a life that has been even better than my dreams.”
Since joining ESPN during its first year in 1979, Vitale has called more than 1,000 games. His passion for the game helped shape the college basketball experience for fans for more than four decades, while cementing a legacy as one of the most enduring figures in sports broadcasting history.
Vitale has been inducted into the Naismith Basketball and Sports Broadcasting Halls of Fame. Most recently, he received the Dean Smith Award from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), as well as The New York Athletic Club Winged Foot Award.
“For over 30 years, Dick Vitale has been the voice of college basketball,” Clint Overby, Vice President of ESPN Events, said in a statement. “I can’t think of a better way to honor his legacy than have a basketball event featuring the very best of the sport.”
Game information can be obtained dickvitaleinvitational.com.
The Blue Devils and Longhorns have played five times and have all been Duke victories since 2000. In the most recent game, the Blue Devils took an 85-78 overtime win in Portland, Oregon, on Nov. 24, 2017.
Duke’s nonconference schedule thus far
The Texas matchup adds to a non-conference schedule that sees Duke play a number of fellow power conference opponents in Jon Scheyer’s fourth season as head coach.
Duke also plays Kansas on Nov. 18 at New York’s Madison Square Garden as part of the Champions Classic doubleheader.
On Thanksgiving night, Nov. 27, Duke will play Arkansas at Chicago’s United Center. The following week, the Blue Devils will take part on the ACC-SEC Challenge against an opponent to be determined.
Duke and Michigan State are also close to finalizing an agreement to play each other in East Lansing, Michigan, possibly this December. The Blue Devils are also in discussions to play Michigan on a neutral court in Washington, D.C., in February.
The ACC cut its league schedule by two games this season, freeing up schools to add two additional non-conference games.
Duke’s ACC slate includes home games with UNC, Louisville, Boston College, Clemson, Georgia Tech, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia and Wake Forest.
The Blue Devils’ league road schedule has them playing at UNC, Louisville, California, Florida State, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Stanford and Virginia Tech.
This story was originally published June 9, 2025 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Duke basketball opens season in Charlotte. Who is on Blue Devils’ schedule?."
