DURHAM, N.C. — Duke begins another season near the top of the polls. The second-ranked Blue Devils open Monday night against Army West Point at Cameron Indoor Stadium, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m.
History favors the home team. Duke has won 26 straight season openers and is 69-7 in openers since 1950, and it has not lost a home opener in 44 tries. The Blue Devils also carry a 32-game home winning streak into the night and lead the all-time series with Army 14-3, winning all 10 meetings since the matchup resumed in 1996. Last November, Duke won 114-59 at West Point.
Coach Jon Scheyer, now in his fifth season, has a deep, veteran roster after a 35-3 season that ended on a last-second 3-pointer by Connecticut in the East Region final. The returning core includes guards Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer, wing Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba II, a 6-foot-11 center, and Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell adds another experienced scorer, and Scheyer has said the lineup could look different from night to night as the staff sorts out its best combinations.
The tune-up games went well. Duke handled Belmont 102-62 in a scrimmage, beat Tennessee by 39 points, 103-64, in a home exhibition, and then went to Lawrence and won 90-84 at Kansas, rallying late on the road. Monday’s game airs on ESPNU, and Cameron seats 9,314.
Army, under fourth-year coach Kevin Kuwik, brings back four starters from an 11-21 team, led by senior guard Ryan Curry, who averaged 13.3 points a game. The Black Knights will be outsized in the frontcourt.
Duke stays home for Coastal Carolina on Thursday before facing Michigan State on Nov. 10.
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