Comparing Duke & North Carolina’s Full Non-Conference Schedules

We have spent extensive time this offseason discussing Duke basketball’s non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 college basketball season.

The Blue Devils will face an elite slate, one that is probably the toughest any team in the country will face, and most of those premier matchups will happen before the calendar year is even over.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head coach Jon Scheyer has assembled possibly the toughest non-conference slate since he took over in Durham, which is saying a lot given the schedules he has given his teams in the past.

Advertisement

In Year 1 under head coach Michael Malone, North Carolina has now revealed its full non-conference schedule. Let’s break down the two rivals’ slates.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer signals to his team during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke, UNC To Face Two of Same Opponents

Duke and North Carolina will actually face two of the same high-major squads next season in the non-con. Both clubs will take on Georgia and Illinois. The Bulldogs certainly have the potential to be an NCAA Tournament team in 2027, especially in the expanded field, and Illinois will begin the campaign as a top-five team in the sport.

Duke will likely be a considerable favorite against Georgia at Madison Square Garden, but the Heels will probably be of similar status when their matchup with UGA rolls around. The timing of when the Blue Devils will face Illinois and when UNC will is interesting at first glance.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts after a play against the UConn Huskies during…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/comparing-duke-north-carolinas-full-113001263.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-08-21 11:30:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.