2015-2016 Schedule Speculation (Challenge game is home vs. Indiana)

[pfrduke]

I'm still basking in the glow of last night, but schedule building is my favorite off-season activity. Who will we get to play in our title defense?

We may get a title rematch early on in the season. Duke and Wisconsin are both playing in the 2k Sports Classic, the final rounds of which will be played in MSG. Georgetown and VCU are the other guaranteed final-site participants. The campus-site games are still being populated, but my guess is we'll play Redford and maybe Siena (both confirmed participants). The dates aren't set for the early games, but my bet is that they will be 11/13 and 11/14.

We also draw Kentucky in the Champions Classic, which will be in Chicago this year. That very well could be a matchup against the #1 team in the country.

ACC/B1G will be interesting. We'll probably get a home draw this season. Maryland and Indiana will be among the Big Ten favorites, or we could draw a final four rematch with Michigan State. I suppose it's possible that they go with the finals rematch (and 2014 ACC/B1G rematch) and send the Badgers to Cameron, but the (potential) tournament matchup may be enough to keep that from happening.

I'm not sure if the A-10/ACC challenge (that we agreed to in exchange for the A10 agreeing to vacate the Barclays Center) will kick in next year or not, but if so, I'd wager Duke is involved in it and that we'll have a game in the Barclays Center in December to show for it.

So here's what we know (at least sort of) so far:

Nov. 13 (prob.) - 2k campus game (Siena/Radford?)
Nov. 14 (prob.) - 2k campus game (Siena/Radford?)
Nov. 17 - Kentucky in Chicago
Nov. 20 - 2k in MSG (Wisconsin/Georgetown/VCU)
Nov. 22 - 2k in MSG (Wisconsin/Georgetown/VCU)
Dec. 1/2 - ACC/B1G game (?)

On a somewhat related note, other ACC teams have preseason tourney slots lined up:

UVA continues to under-challenge itself in these events. It's playing in the Charleston Classic, where the best challenge is going to come from either Oklahoma State or Mississippi.
Miami is in Puerto Rice for the Tip-Off - the field includes Utah, Butler, Minnesota, and Temple
FSU is in the Paradise Jam and likely will be the favorite - field includes South Carolina, Tulsa, Depaul, and four mid-majors
Wake's going to Maui where it decidedly will not be the favorite - Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, St. John's, and UNLV all will be there
NCSU is back in one of these after a while - the Legends Classic in NY, with LSU, Marquette, and Arizona State
Clemson is playing in Vegas with Creighton, Georgia, and UMass
UNC will be a big favorite in the CBE - Kansas State, Missouri, and Northwestern (although the first two will have somewhat of a home court environment)
Syracuse is in Atlantis which again has a strong field - UConn, Gonzaga, Michigan, Texas, Texas A&M, Washington, and Charlotte
Notre Dame is in Orlando - Wichita State is the main competition here
BC is in Anaheim - Arizona and Michigan State headline, with the Anteaters (Zot! Zot! Zot!) getting local support
Virginia Tech is in something called the Emerald Coast Classic with a decent field - Illinois, Iowa State, and UAB

GT, Louisville, and Pitt are not committed yet. The PNIT has open spots - only Villanova has committed - so that could snag an ACC team.

[Olympic Fan]

ACC/B1G will be interesting. We'll probably get a home draw this season. Maryland and Indiana will be among the Big Ten favorites, or we could draw a final four rematch with Michigan State. I suppose it's possible that they go with the finals rematch (and 2014 ACC/B1G rematch) and send the Badgers to Cameron, but the (potential) tournament matchup may be enough to keep that from happening.

I suspect that if Duke and Wisconsin are in the same preseason tournament, they won't be matched against Duke in the ACC/B1G Challenge

It is interesting that the top B1G teams next year all played at home in this season's challenge -- Wisconsin, Maryland and Indiana. Michigan State had a road game, so they are due to be at home.

I know that they sometimes fiddle with the home/away rotation, but they try to stick with it. If that holds true, I think Maryland at Duke is a real possibility -- it's just too sweet for ESPN to pass up and Maryland is due a road game, while Duke is slated to be at home.

[SCMatt33]

I don't think that Duke is really tied to home or away this year. By nature of the challenge, teams have to play consecutive years home or away to be able to rotate match ups. While Duke did play a road game last year, they played at home the two previous year (Michigan and Ohio State) and have played 6 home and 6 road games overall since they stopped going to neutral sites. If not for the preseason tourney, Bucky returning to Cameron would be most likely, but since they might have already played by then, plus the fact that there will be huge turnover on both team, mitigating the rematch feel a bit, plus the fact that a rematch atmosphere works better when the loser gets the home game, I think Duke will be sent to East Lansing. As for Duke-Maryland, I'll believe that only when I see it on the schedule. I don't think the ACC or Duke wants to let it happen at all, even if it's in Cameron. When that game gets scheduled, we'll know how powerful ESPN is compared to the ACC in this.

I also get a sneaking suspicion (and this is a pure gut feeling on my part, noting is real to my knowledge), but I think there's a good chance Duke schedules Temple at the Wells Fargo Center this year. Amile technically doesn't need a senior home game, because Duke played there in the tourney his freshman year (and incidentally, he had one of his best games that year, guarding Dougie McBuckets off the bench), but this is also a game that Duke has scheduled in the past because of Coach K's relationship with Fran Dunphy. The real kicker in my mind though, is that the East Regional is returning to Philadelphia next year. I think that it would make a ton of sense for that game to get scheduled.

I'd also expect to see a return trip from St. John's next year.

[MChambers]

I'd also expect to see a return trip from St. John's next year.

Good point. So Chris Mullin would finally come to Duke!

[Troublemaker]

The conference matchups for this upcoming season: (source is http://www.theacc.com/news/ACCMBB-fu...4-21-14_9wyqjq )

Duke 2015-16
Home/Road: North Carolina , Wake Forest , NC State, Louisville
Home: Florida State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Notre Dame
Road: Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Boston College

For comparison's sake:

Virginia 2015-16
(Comment: Duke's top 2 home-and-homes -- UNC and NCSU -- blows away any of UVA's home-and-homes)
Home/Road: Louisville, Virginia Tech, Miami, Clemson
Home: North Carolina, NC State, Boston College, Syracuse, Notre Dame
Road: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Duke, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh

North Carolina 2015-16
Home/Road: Duke, NC State, Boston College, Syracuse
Home: Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh
Road: Florida State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame

NC State 2015-16
Home/Road: North Carolina, Wake Forest, Florida State, Duke
Home: Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Louisville, Boston College
Road: Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame

[Troublemaker]

ACC / A-10 Challenge will begin in December

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...cember-of-2015

[Olympic Fan]

ACC / A-10 Challenge will begin in December

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...cember-of-2015

So two ACC teams involved this year and two the next and two the next ... I'm guessing that six different ACC teams will be involved in all (as much as ESPN might like to keep it to 2-3 superpowers)

I'd be willing to bet big money that Duke is involved this coming year (even though UVa and UNC are going to be projected as the top two teams). Dayton, VCU and Davidson look like the strongest A-10 teams going into next year.

[pfrduke]

So two ACC teams involved this year and two the next and two the next ... I'm guessing that six different ACC teams will be involved in all (as much as ESPN might like to keep it to 2-3 superpowers)

I'd be willing to bet big money that Duke is involved this coming year (even though UVa and UNC are going to be projected as the top two teams). Dayton, VCU and Davidson look like the strongest A-10 teams going into next year.

I wonder if K is going to lobby for Duke's participation to come the year after, as that year will be the first year we're in the Barclays for the ACC tourney.

[tbyers11]

I wonder if K is going to lobby for Duke's participation to come the year after, as that year will be the first year we're in the Barclays for the ACC tourney.

Especially as we are already committed to to play in MSG on Nov 20/22 in the 2K Classic and we played in the Barclays Center last year in the Coaches vs Cancer

[awhom111]

I sort of asked this elsewhere, but does anyone know if we are doing our foreign tour this summer? This is the first year we can go again and our staff will obviously be a little busy next summer.

Now that we are the NCAA Champions it would be cool to play the champions of the other NCAA in the Philippines. Maybe we could even make it a bigger college championship with teams from Japan and South Korea.

It would seem that our programs like to do something more meaningful than a trip to the Bahamas to play random teams (our soccer teams have attended the recent World Cups) so if we do cook one up, I am sure that it will be good. The time of year probably makes European club teams not the best option. National teams seem like good opponents.

[wilson]

I have a very good chance to score tickets for an early-season non-conference game, and now I'd like to try to go for the raising of the 2015 banner. Is this traditionally just done at the first home game? Anyone know when we might expect an official announcement?

[Duvall]

I have a very good chance to score tickets for an early-season non-conference game, and now I'd like to try to go for the raising of the 2015 banner. Is this traditionally just done at the first home game? Anyone know when we might expect an official announcement?

Any banner or ring ceremony will probably take place at Countdown to Craziness.

[blazindw]

I have a very good chance to score tickets for an early-season non-conference game, and now I'd like to try to go for the raising of the 2015 banner. Is this traditionally just done at the first home game? Anyone know when we might expect an official announcement?

In 2010, they raised the banner and presented rings at Countdown to Craziness. I would bet it's the same thing again this year.

[msdukie]

Actually the banner is raised the first time at the banquet and left up briefly to take pictures then taken down. It isn't necessarily the final banner. In 2010 they did this then took the banner down until Countdown. By the time Countdown came around, all 4 banners had been resized as they were getting too big with 4 there and the 1991 and 1992 Final Four logos on the banners were slightly (and inaccurately) modified. But then I have now established myself as the banner nitpicker.

[BigWayne]

No telling who we'll be playing against in Chicago. Kentucky lost 7 to the NBA today.

[Olympic Fan]

I wonder if K is going to lobby for Duke's participation to come the year after, as that year will be the first year we're in the Barclays for the ACC tourney.

I meant look this up earlier ... I just got around to it.

It's true that we play the ACC Tournament in Washington, DC, this year, but that doesn't mean a regular season game in Barclays would be wasted.

Barclays is hosting the NCAA Tournament (second-third rounds) in 2016.

Now, so is the PNC Arena in Raleigh and that's where we'd like to go. But with Virginia and North Carolina likely to be higher ranked in preseason (NC State is hosting, so they can't play in Raleigh), it's a long-shot that Duke would get sent there. Well, maybe not a long-shot, but ost likely Duke would have to be higher seeded than either Virginia or UNC.

The next closest site is Brooklyn.

So -- just in case -- it would be a good idea to give next year's team a taste of the Barclays experience -- either in the ACC/A-10 Challenge or maybe our pre-Christmas visit to the New York area.

[duke2x]

Duke has not scheduled more games outside Cameron than at home. We usually play a 7H-6 A/N split with the A/N being the best opponents.

Home (3): 2k, 2k, St. John's (all educated guesses)
Away/Neutral (4): UK, 2k, 2k, annual MSG/NYC game (announced and educated guesses).
TBD: Big 10 (can be home or away)

The ACC-A10 presents an interesting scheduling problem. First, if Duke plays a road game in the B-10 Challenge, the last game to schedule outside Cameron this year would be the A-10 Challenge. That would be 6. We're supposed to play Davidson in Charlotte sometime soon (2015, 2016, 2017), but that probably gets bumped. Second, there isn't a lot of room in December to play the A-10 Challenge. You've basically got the Saturday before exams (when Duke has stopped scheduling games recently and TV focuses on football), December 16-21 (where we are also likely to play 1 game in Cameron on 12/14 and then 1-2 other games), and December 29-31 (Random weeknight of bowl week and we are likely to play 1 game in Cameron on 12/27 first). I would not be surprised if they save the best for last in the A-10 Challenge (2017). We could play again in Maui then and would want more games in NYC that year.

[SCMatt33]

Duke has not scheduled more games outside Cameron than at home. We usually play a 7H-6 A/N split with the A/N being the best opponents.

Home (3): 2k, 2k, St. John's (all educated guesses)
Away/Neutral (4): UK, 2k, 2k, annual MSG/NYC game (announced and educated guesses).
TBD: Big 10 (can be home or away)

The ACC-A10 presents an interesting scheduling problem. First, if Duke plays a road game in the B-10 Challenge, the last game to schedule outside Cameron this year would be the A-10 Challenge. That would be 6. We're supposed to play Davidson in Charlotte sometime soon (2015, 2016, 2017), but that probably gets bumped. Second, there isn't a lot of room in December to play the A-10 Challenge. You've basically got the Saturday before exams (when Duke has stopped scheduling games recently and TV focuses on football), December 16-21 (where we are also likely to play 1 game in Cameron on 12/14 and then 1-2 other games), and December 29-31 (Random weeknight of bowl week and we are likely to play 1 game in Cameron on 12/27 first). I would not be surprised if they save the best for last in the A-10 Challenge (2017). We could play again in Maui then and would want more games in NYC that year.

I'm not sure why an ACC-A10 game would necessarily make 6 pending ACC/B1G assignment. I'd assume that whatever year Duke gets that game, it will serve as Duke's de facto NYC/NJ game for the year, as opposed to an additional NYC game as you seem to assume. Duke's been willing to schedule that game against non-power conference teams before, scheduling Temple and Xavier when each was in the A-10, as well as Butler and Gonzaga. The A-10 is still a multi-bid league, and it won't be hard for Duke to get a projected tournament quality team for the game, which is what Duke normally looks for in scheduling an opponent there.

[Troublemaker]

Last year, the ACC-Big 10 matchups for early December were announced on May 1: http://www.theacc.com/news/16th-Annu...5-01-14_ofdy6z

So, in the next week or so, I would expect this year's matchups to be revealed.

My predictions:

(1) MD vs (1) UNC (not sure location. National Preseason #1 vs National Preseason #2?)
(2) Indiana AT (2) Duke (Hoosiers owe us a return game, and they were at home last year vs Pitt.)
(3) MichSt vs (3) UVA (not sure location)

Yogi Ferrell announced his decision to stay today, so Indiana will be Big 10 preseason #2 to Maryland's #1.
In the ACC, UVA will get underrated again and will have to play their nemesis MSU.

[SCMatt33]

Last year, the ACC-Big 10 matchups for early December were announced on May 1: http://www.theacc.com/news/16th-Annu...5-01-14_ofdy6z

So, in the next week or so, I would expect this year's matchups to be revealed.

My predictions:

(1) MD vs (1) UNC (not sure location. National Preseason #1 vs National Preseason #2?)
(2) Indiana AT (2) Duke (Hoosiers owe us a return game, and they were at home last year vs Pitt.)
(3) MichSt vs (3) UVA (not sure location)

Yogi Ferrell announced his decision to stay today, so Indiana will be Big 10 preseason #2 to Maryland's #1.
In the ACC, UVA will get underrated again and will have to play their nemesis MSU.

What do they owe us a return for? We played them two straight years in 05-06 and 06-07. I don't remember playing them since. Personally, I think Duke gets sent to East Lansing for a FF rematch.