2024-25 Schedule Intel
- Thread starter gam7
- Start date
scottdude8
Moderator, front page and podcast contributor
That certainly will be another "hard" game that should be Q1 given Auburn's stature. We now have 5 clear Q1 opportunities on the schedule, nicely split between neutral sites (Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois), road (Arizona) and home (Auburn). I'd love to see us get one more borderline Q1/Q2 game on the schedule with our remaining open dates given the perception of the ACC, but even if that doesn't come to pass we've scheduled very nicely IMHO.
scottdude8
Moderator, front page and podcast contributor
Adapted gam's great post to include this new development. If indeed the rule is that you can have 31 regular season games regardless of MTE (the sources we were referring to up-thread may have been influenced by the COVID year, but we had 31 games last year so it's a reasonable assumption), there's room for 3 more games on the schedule.
I really, really hope at least 1 of those 3 is a borderline Q1/Q2 game, as mentioned previously. Having 6 Q1 opportunities in the non-conference would be big, especially given the national perception of the ACC of late. I like that we're avoiding traditional cupcakes by scheduling teams like George Mason and Seattle, who at worst will be Q3 games and could even challenge for low Q2 status... I hope that continues as we fill out the last 3 pieces of the puzzle. We have 5 opportunities for not just Q1 wins, but marquee Q1 wins against likely Top 25 (or better!) teams... now I'd love to see a game or two that's on a neutral site against teams in that 30-60 NET/KP range.
I guess they did it to make the matchups better (with most of the attractive SEC teams, like UK, Ala., Ark., Auburn, due road games), but noteworthy that UNC is given a second straight home game when they got Tenn. at home last year.
ND has 2 road games in a row. It's ultimately not objectionable if UNC plays road games in '26 and '27.
brevity
Member
[SUB](Source)[/SUB]
Keep in mind that it's also an opportunity to see 6 former Blue Devils:
Jaemyn Brakefield and Ole Miss at Louisville
Henry Coleman III and Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest
Mark Mitchell and Missouri vs. California
TJ Power and Virginia at Florida
Christian Reeves and Clemson vs. Kentucky
Jaden Schutt and Virginia Tech vs. Vanderbilt
Sadly, no Jaylen Blakes in the Challenge. The ACC has 2 more teams than the SEC, so Stanford and SMU aren't playing.
hallcity
Member
Will any of the former players other than Mitchell start?
brevity
Member
I'll try to look at these 6 teams, but keep in mind that DBR can't even agree on the Duke starters at this point. I'm assuming full team health.
Jaemyn Brakefield: He's started 88 of 97 games for Ole Miss in the last three seasons, but coach Chris Beard has brought in 3 transfers that are his size, who each had some starting experience at Belmont, Hampton, and UNC Greensboro. The team's only center is a 7-2 incoming freshman, so there's a good chance Beard starts a pair of 4s in the post, and I would guess Brakefield will be one of them.
Henry Coleman III: Coleman started most of his games for Texas A&M as a sophomore and junior, but only half (16 of 32) last season. It was a weird lineup; Aggies center Wildens Leveque, since graduated, was the 11th leading scorer (out of 12) and 2nd in games started. TAMU is out of scholarships but has no center, so Coleman will probably split the frontcourt with returner Solomon Washington and incoming transfer Pharrel Payne from Minnesota.
Mark Mitchell: you're right, this is a pretty safe bet. When he transferred, I remember saying that Mizzou's starting lineup was wide open at the 4. The only other player his size is Aidan Shaw, who is usually a reserve, when he isn't busy designing furniture and having an on/off relationship with Carrie Bradshaw.
TJ Power: Possibly the least likely starter on this list, despite being a rare forward on a guard-heavy roster. His main competition is San Diego State transfer Elijah Saunders, who started 21 of 37 games last season.
Christian Reeves: I know I said that I would assume full health, but it's really challenging when it comes to Reeves. On paper, he should start; PJ Hall has gone pro, and there are no other centers on the roster. They're also thin at the 3, with an incoming freshman there and no one else. My skeptical side says that Clemson could go with a 3-guard lineup and have incoming transfer Viktor Lakhin (6-11 PF from Cincinnati) join incumbent PF Ian Schieffelin in the starting frontcourt.
Jaden Schutt: Surprisingly likely, with no returning backcourt. Hunter Cattoor graduated and Sean Pedulla is now at Ole Miss with Jaemyn Brakefield. He'll contend with incoming Cal transfer Rodney Brown at the starting 2, and because there isn't much competition at the 2 or 3, they could both start.
I know we have avoided home and home series for much of the K era, but it’s still stunning to hear that Cameron hasn’t hosted an SEC team in this century.
https://goduke.com/news/2024/6/12/mens-basketball-duke-to-host-auburn-in-acc-sec-challenge.aspx
I'm seeing this date on ticket resellers but nothing else new. It's a Saturday. FYI - Tickets for the Auburn game are already $1000 each even though they haven't gone on sale yet.
JasonEvans
Host, The Duke Basketball Roundup
I think Duke may have a verrrry interesting exhibition game this year. I'll let the team announce it but when you hear about it, folks are gonna go "Whoa!! I want to see _____ back in Cameron."
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
Member
Wait. I can do this.
Duke is playing the Lakers. And fans are gonna say "Whoa!! I want to see JJ back in Cameron!"
DavidBenAkiva
Member
Hmmmm, let me see if I can figure this out.
Would you have to be a Star of the Beehive to know the answer to the fill-in-the-blank?
UrinalCake
Member
Maryland?
That would not move the meter for Dukies.
JasonEvans
Host, The Duke Basketball Roundup
I am not at liberty to reveal more... sorry.
brevity
Member
You don’t have to. Probably a good idea to not use capitalization. You’ll want to continue to curry favor with your inside sources.
UrinalCake
Member
In terms of division 2 or low-major teams, the likes of which we would typically play in an exhibition, I'm thinking of UCF (Johnny Dawkins). I also remember during the covid season we were scheduled to play Howard (Kenny Blakeney) so maybe that's it.
EDIT: just saw the most recent posts. Liberty would be an interesting opponent. Would Seth really come back for that? He only spent one season there.
EDIT: just saw the most recent posts. Liberty would be an interesting opponent. Would Seth really come back for that? He only spent one season there.