Duke opens up its 2023-24 basketball season in Durham, North Carolina, on Nov. 6 against Dartmouth before facing its first tough test of the season against Arizona on Nov. 10. The Wildcats feature former North Carolina transfer Caleb Love who is no stranger to playing in front of the Cameron Crazies.
The Blue Devils are the No. 3 ranked team in the latest CBS Sports Top 25 and 1 and the only teams ranked ahead of Duke are Kansas and Purdue. Duke has national championship expectations heading into the season with Tyrese Proctor, Jeremy Roach, Mark Mitchell and Kyle Filipowski all returning to the fold. Duke also welcomes the 247Sport No. 2 ranked recruiting class from the 2023 cycle to campus.
The most intriguing game on the nonconference slate is a matchup with Michigan State on Nov. 14 in the Champions Classic. The other marquee game being played in the same building on that day is a battle of blue bloods between Kansas and Kentucky. CBS Sports previously looked ahead at the top nonconference games for the Jayhawks and Wildcats earlier this month.
Here are the Blue Devils’ top five nonconference games to look forward to this season
1. Michigan State
When: Nov. 14, 2023 Where: United Center (Chicago)
The top non-ACC game for the Blue Devils is a date with Michigan State at the Champions Classic. The Spartans have high expectations heading into the season and return three key starters from last season: A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins. Michigan State also welcomes one of the top recruiting classes in the country and the headliner of the group is five-star big man Xavier Booker. Despite Booker being raw as a prospect, the upside he possesses could make him a starter at some point this season. This will be a battle of guards and is one of the top college basketball games of the season.
When: Nov. 29, 2023 Where: Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Arkansas coach Eric Musselman…
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