Non-conference games with Purdue, Xavier, Davidson and Georgetown complement the typical league slate on Duke's schedule, released by the Atlantic Coast Conference Tuesday.
The Blue Devils will also partake in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer tournament whose semifinals are in Madison Square Garden-two of four potential Duke games in the New York City area. Duke plays Xavier at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. Dec. 20 in a game that could have been a Sweet 16 matchup in last year's NCAA Tournament if the second-seeded Blue Devils had not lost in the second round to West Virginia. Duke rounds out its Northeast tour with a reprisal of its series with St. John's in the Garden Feb. 19.
"It's amazing. That's our 'bowl game,' if you will," said Mike Cragg, senior associate director of athletics and director of the Legacy Fund, about the New York games.
Duke takes the floor with Davidson for the 13th straight year, although this year's game will likely have more hype than those of years past. The Wildcats, led by shooting guard Stephen Curry, went to the Elite 8 last year and found themselves one 3-pointer away from a Final Four berth. This year's game is scheduled for Jan. 7, the first time since 1991 the teams will meet after the new year with students on campus, and it will air on ESPN.
"We've always treated it [like a big game] in our world, but it was just dependent on availability," Cragg said of the change. "ESPN definitely had an interest in the game, so that played a factor in it."
The Blue Devils continue their series with John Thompson III's Georgetown after a contractually scheduled gap last season. The Hoyas will come Jan. 17 to Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke has non-conference challenges with Purdue as part of the ACC/Big 10 Challenge Dec. 2 and in Ann Arbor, Mich. for a continuation of a series with Michigan Dec. 6.
Mike Krzyzewski's squad, which returns everyone but DeMarcus Nelson and transfer Taylor King, opens ACC play at home against Virginia Tech Jan. 4. North Carolina treks down Tobacco Road Feb. 11 for a 9 p.m. tip, and the Blue Devils will return to Chapel Hill March 8 for a 4 p.m. start.
Seniors Jordan Davidson, Dave McClure and Greg Paulus will be honored at Duke's last home game against Florida State March 4.
The Blue-White game is slated for Homecoming Oct. 18, followed by two exhibition games. The Blue Devils open the season with three consecutive home games, starting with Delaware Nov. 10.
All games will be televised this year, including 18 on an ESPN affiliate.
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