Duke and UNC Approaching Non-Con in Completely Different Ways

The Duke Blue Devils will once again go through one of the more difficult non-conference schedules of any team in college basketball.

Head coach Jon Scheyer seeks out elite competition each year to best prepare his squads for the postseason. In 2025-26, the Blue Devils boasted arguably the best overall resume in all of college hoops.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Duke went 19-3 in Quadrant 1 games, tied for the second-most Quad 1 victories of any team in the nation. Additionally, it went 11-2 against AP Top 25 opponents, sealing not only the most ranked victories of any team in college basketball last season, but also tying the record for the most wins over ranked opponents in the AP Poll era.

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The Blue Devils already have several stellar non-con matchups on the docket for the 2026-27 season, giving the squad a chance to once again put together an elite body of work to ultimately help with NCAA Tournament seeding.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) dribbles the ball against St. John’s Red Storm guard Dylan Darling (0) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

On the other hand, North Carolina is in a different boat. It’s been a chaotic offseason for the Tar Heels, firing head coach Hubert Davis and bringing in former NBA Champion Michael Malone.

UNC lost eight of its top 10 scorers from a season ago, including Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, who formed one of the most productive frontcourt units in college basketball. However, Malone has done a solid job in the portal, bringing in high-profile additions to keep the Heels relevant on a national…

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Publish date : 2026-05-14 17:30:00

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