Duke/Florida Non-Conference Bout Presents Elite Position Battle

The matchups for the 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge were released earlier this week, and the Duke Blue Devils will face Florida for the second year in a row.

Florida came to Cameron Indoor Stadium last season as a part of the event, where Duke won 67-66 after Isaiah Evans nailed a three-pointer with mere seconds to spare. This time around, Jon Scheyer’s club will head to Exactech Arena in a contest that will present an elite home environment.

Florida head coach Todd Golden reacts during the first half of the NCAA March Madness second round at Benchmark international Arena in Tampa, FL on Friday, March 20, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A marquee early-season matchup on the road will grant Duke an opportunity to seal a huge resume-building win in early December, especially considering the Gators seem to be the frontrunner to enter the 2026-27 campaign as the No. 1 team in the land.

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This matchup could turn out to be the top game of the entire college basketball season, although this is one of many big-time games for Duke before conference play even rolls around. However, this specific bout presents an elite positional matchup.

Duke and Florida Will Clash With Two Best Frontcourts in College Basketball

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference ahead 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

Florida is returning six of its top seven scorers from the 2025-26 season, headlined by the elite frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, and Rueben Chinyelu.

The three combined for over 40 points, over 20 rebounds, and over three blocks a night for the Gators last season. Haugh, Chinyelu, and Condon were First-, Second-, and Third-Team All-SEC selections in 2025-26, and Chinyelu earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year…


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Publish date : 2026-06-07 12:00:00

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