2024-25 Schedule Intel

[gam7]

In the post-game presser after Michigan State, Scheyer was asked whether he preferred the Champions' Classic being the first game of the season (as it was in 2021) vs. third game of the season (as it was this year). In his comments, Scheyer said that the Champions Classic next year will be the third game of the season (which Scheyer prefers). This got me thinking that it might be time to get this thread started!

Here's what I know/suspect:

Nov. __: _________
Nov. __: _________
Nov. 14: vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic); @Atlanta, GA
Nov. 21: @ Arizona
Week of November 25: [Holiday Tournament?]

A few initial thoughts:

1. It will be interesting to see what approach Scheyer takes with that second game. Will he feel we were burned by the Arizona experience this year and schedule soft? Or, will he value the reality check we got and schedule tough? Given the Arizona trip

2. The Arizona game is a week and a half later next year than it was this year, and will put us in Arizona the Thursday before Thanksgiving. This seems to make a West Coast, Vegas, or Hawaii (I'm not sure what the status of the Maui Invitational is going forward) holiday tournament a no-brainer.

3. Will there be an ACC/SEC Challenge? If so, when will it be? We are due for a home game. It won't precede the Champions Classic, so that leaves either sandwiched between Kentucky and Arizona (which would be brutal), or, more likely, the first week of December. My guess is we'll have a soft opponent between Kentucky and Arizona to implement whatever learnings come out of the Kentucky game.

That's all I got.

[MChambers]

I think when Scheyer met with the press before the Arizona game he said he would have preferred to have that game later in the season and not quite so early, but scheduling is difficult. So expect the first two games to be easier than this year.

[summerwind03]

The graphic I saw said the Classic would be November 12 (a Tuesday) not the 14.

[gam7]

The graphic I saw said the Classic would be November 12 (a Tuesday) not the 14.

You are correct. My mistake.

[Nugget]

In the post-game presser after Michigan State, Scheyer was asked whether he preferred the Champions' Classic being the first game of the season (as it was in 2021) vs. third game of the season (as it was this year). In his comments, Scheyer said that the Champions Classic next year will be the third game of the season (which Scheyer prefers). This got me thinking that it might be time to get this thread started!

Here's what I know/suspect:

Nov. __: _________
Nov. __: _________
Nov. 14: vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic); @Atlanta, GA
Nov. 21: @ Arizona
Week of November 25: [Holiday Tournament?]

A few initial thoughts:

1. It will be interesting to see what approach Scheyer takes with that second game. Will he feel we were burned by the Arizona experience this year and schedule soft? Or, will he value the reality check we got and schedule tough? Given the Arizona trip

2. The Arizona game is a week and a half later next year than it was this year, and will put us in Arizona the Thursday before Thanksgiving. This seems to make a West Coast, Vegas, or Hawaii (I'm not sure what the status of the Maui Invitational is going forward) holiday tournament a no-brainer.

3. Will there be an ACC/SEC Challenge? If so, when will it be? We are due for a home game. It won't precede the Champions Classic, so that leaves either sandwiched between Kentucky and Arizona (which would be brutal), or, more likely, the first week of December. My guess is we'll have a soft opponent between Kentucky and Arizona to implement whatever learnings come out of the Kentucky game.

On #3, I would say it's a 99.99% certainty the ACC/SEC Challenge will continue given ESPN's deep investment in both leagues. And given past practice for the various Challenges, which have for 20 years been the Tues/Wed. after Thanksgiving, I'd say it's a good bet it will be Dec. 3-4.

On #2, I'd love it to see Duke back in a real challenging MTE instead of the dreck this year. But, the MTEs for next season are already filling up (the Maui and Atlantis and San Diego fields are already full), and the pool of good teams to potentially play against is kind of shrinking:


Maui: North Carolina, U.Conn, Michigan St., Auburn, Memphis, Colorado, Iowa St., Dayton

Atlantis: Arizona, Gonzaga, Indiana, Creighton, West Virginia, Louisville, Oklahoma, Davidson

San Diego: Arkansas, Purdue, Notre Dame, BYU

Bahamas: St. JohnÂ’s, Baylor, Tennessee, TBD

The open spot in the Bahamas field seems kind of enticing, though if our rumored game against St. John's at Arthur Ashe Stadium comes to pass then maybe that tournament wouldn't work.

The next best alternative might be to try to set up one of the 4 team, 2 game events in Vegas with some combination of Kansas/Houston (Big 12), UCLA/USC/Michigan/Ohio St. (Big 10), and Texas/Bama (SEC) or Villanova/Marquette (Big East)

[AustinDevil]

On #3, I would say it's a 99.99% certainty the ACC/SEC Challenge will continue given ESPN's deep investment in both leagues. And given past practice for the various Challenges, which have for 20 years been the Tues/Wed. after Thanksgiving, I'd say it's a good bet it will be Dec. 3-4.

On #2, I'd love it to see Duke back in a real challenging MTE instead of the dreck this year. But, the MTEs for next season are already filling up (the Maui and Atlantis and San Diego fields are already full), and the pool of good teams to potentially play against is kind of shrinking:


Maui: North Carolina, U.Conn, Michigan St., Auburn, Memphis, Colorado, Iowa St., Dayton

Atlantis: Arizona, Gonzaga, Indiana, Creighton, West Virginia, Louisville, Oklahoma, Davidson

San Diego: Arkansas, Purdue, Notre Dame, BYU

Bahamas: St. JohnÂ’s, Baylor, Tennessee, TBD

The open spot in the Bahamas field seems kind of enticing, though if our rumored game against St. John's at Arthur Ashe Stadium comes to pass then maybe that tournament wouldn't work.

The next best alternative might be to try to set up one of the 4 team, 2 game events in Vegas with some combination of Kansas/Houston (Big 12), UCLA/USC/Michigan/Ohio St. (Big 10), and Texas/Bama (SEC) or Villanova/Marquette (Big East)

I agree with you and am worried we will have “Duke Classic” dreck again.

[duke2x]

Don't we play St. John's in the tennis stadium next year in theory?

[BigWayne]

I agree with you and am worried we will have “Duke Classic” dreck again.

I am pretty sure the MTE rules only allow you to run your own event every 3 or 4 years.

[hallcity]

On #3, I would say it's a 99.99% certainty the ACC/SEC Challenge will continue given ESPN's deep investment in both leagues. And given past practice for the various Challenges, which have for 20 years been the Tues/Wed. after Thanksgiving, I'd say it's a good bet it will be Dec. 3-4.

On #2, I'd love it to see Duke back in a real challenging MTE instead of the dreck this year. But, the MTEs for next season are already filling up (the Maui and Atlantis and San Diego fields are already full), and the pool of good teams to potentially play against is kind of shrinking:


Maui: North Carolina, U.Conn, Michigan St., Auburn, Memphis, Colorado, Iowa St., Dayton

Atlantis: Arizona, Gonzaga, Indiana, Creighton, West Virginia, Louisville, Oklahoma, Davidson

San Diego: Arkansas, Purdue, Notre Dame, BYU

Bahamas: St. JohnÂ’s, Baylor, Tennessee, TBD

The open spot in the Bahamas field seems kind of enticing, though if our rumored game against St. John's at Arthur Ashe Stadium comes to pass then maybe that tournament wouldn't work.

The next best alternative might be to try to set up one of the 4 team, 2 game events in Vegas with some combination of Kansas/Houston (Big 12), UCLA/USC/Michigan/Ohio St. (Big 10), and Texas/Bama (SEC) or Villanova/Marquette (Big East)

There's also the Charleston Classic. It looked as if Duke was going this year but announced its own MTE at the last minute. I don't think any teams have been announced so far for the 2024 Charleston Classic Tournament.

[Dr. Maturin]

Duke has skipped a major MTE in 2 of the last 3 years. Hopefully next year will be different. Given the state of the ACC, I think we need more than 4 challenging OOC games.

Also, aren't we overdue for a foreign tour? I believe the last one was 18-19.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Duke has skipped a major MTE in 2 of the last 3 years. Hopefully next year will be different. Given the state of the ACC, I think we need more than 4 challenging OOC games.

Also, aren't we overdue for a foreign tour? I believe the last one was 18-19.

I suspect that COVID made lots of this type of planning complicated in the last several years. Hoping we can get back to these events that serve as a great rest of a team, as well as some opportunities for building cohesion for our players.

[gam7]

Updated Draft 2024-25 Schedule

Nov. __: _________
Nov. __: _________
Nov. 12: vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic); @ Atlanta, GA
Nov. 21: @ Arizona
Week of November 25: [Holiday Tournament or Duke Dreck Challenge?]
[Dec. 3/4: ACC-SEC Challenge?]
[TBD: vs. St. John's; @ Flushing, NY, Arthur Ashe Stadium]

[dlmzzz]

Duke has skipped a major MTE in 2 of the last 3 years. Hopefully next year will be different. Given the state of the ACC, I think we need more than 4 challenging OOC games.

Also, aren't we overdue for a foreign tour? I believe the last one was 18-19.

A foreign tour would help with the Flagg raising.

[gam7]

I agree with you and am worried we will have “Duke Classic” dreck again.

In Scheyer’s LaSalle post game presser, he said that next year the team won’t be in Durham during Thanksgiving week, so it sounds like this year’s Blue Devil Challenge is a one-off.

[duke2x]

In Scheyer’s LaSalle post game presser, he said that next year the team won’t be in Durham during Thanksgiving week, so it sounds like this year’s Blue Devil Challenge is a one-off.

Duke is long overdue for the PNIT. The last trip was 2013 when Duke let ECU hang around in Cameron way too long. The Charleston Classic referenced above conflicts with the AZ road trip.

[brevity]

Determining Duke's 2024 Thanksgiving plans could be just a matter of process of elimination. For example, they won't play the Battle 4 Atlantis:



Weird to see two Big 12 teams in the field, neither of which is Oklahoma.

ETA: I see Nugget posted the list of teams earlier. Apologies. It was officially announced yesterday.