Two big programs are set for a showdown in the Big Apple.
On Monday afternoon, Duke confirmed a December 20 date with Baylor at Madison Square Garden after weeks of speculation, all but finalizing a brutal nonconference gauntlet which already features matchups with Michigan State, Arizona and Arkansas. This will be the 10th time the Blue Devils play at least one game at the World's Most Famous Arena in the last 11 seasons.
“We are thrilled to bring our program back to New York and Madison Square Garden,” head coach Jon Scheyer said in a team release. “Baylor has established itself as one of the premier programs under [head coach] Scott Drew and it will be an incredible test for our team. It’s also a tremendous opportunity for our fans to see us play in New York City. This arena and this city have always been special to Duke, and we’re excited for another chance to play at MSG.”
Duke and Baylor have only played once in either team's history, a 78-71 Blue Devil win in the 2010 NCAA Elite Eight en route to the program's fourth national title. Scheyer, then a senior captain, paced his team with 20 points.
The Bears have undergone a reemergence to the national stage in the last few years, dominating national polling before the 2020 season cancellation due to the pandemic. They won their first national championship against Gonzaga in 2021 and have occupied a top-three seed in each tournament since, establishing themselves as a heavyweight in a loaded Big 12 alongside 2022 national champion Kansas and a resurgent Texas.
Duke has won 40 games at MSG, the sixth-most of any venue in the country behind Cameron Indoor Stadium, Greensboro Coliseum, Reynolds Coliseum and the now-defunct Card and Duke Gyms. Most recently, the Blue Devils took down Iowa in November 2022.
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Andrew Long is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.