Duke Basketball: Top 5 non-conference games to watch for 2023-24 season

The non-conference schedule for Duke Basketball is out. What are the top games to watch for that will be the most appealing?

Historically, Duke Basketball doesn’t play a very challenging non-conference schedule, outside of a few marquee matchups that are nationally televised. However, the recent slate of games that’s been announced for the Blue Devils is fairly tough, including being part of the new ACC/SEC Challenge.

Here’s a ranking of the top five non-conference games on the schedule in terms of the projected strength of the opponent.

5. (H) Hofstra Pride – Dec 12th

CAA Player of the Year Aaron Estrada is gone but the Pride, who won 25 games last season, returns its two other key players. 6’3 guard Tyler Thomas averaged 16.5 ppg while 6’6 wing Darlinstone Dunbar produced 10.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg. Of the mid-major “buy game” opponents on the schedule, Hofstra is the most likely to scare Duke.

4. (N) Baylor Bears – Dec 20th

Participating in the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden, the Blue Devils take on Baylor and national-title winning HC, Scott Drew. It’s a roster that lost all three 15+ scoring guards this offseason but they added a couple of key transfers in Jayden Nunn (VCU) and Rayj Dennis (Toledo), joined by five-star freshman guard, Ja’Kobe Walters. Forward Jalen Bridges could be a matchup problem for the Blue Devils as well.

3. (H) Arizona Wildcats – Nov 10th

The Wildcats won a combined 61 games in the past two years but will be without two key starters in big man Azuolas Tubelis and point guard Kerr Kriisa. But star center Oumar Ballo is back, joined by two of the better defenders from the transfer portal, guard Jaden Bradley from Alabama and forward Keshad Johnson from San Diego State. This will be one of the toughest challenges on that end for Duke Basketball next season.

2. (A) Arkansas Razorbacks – Nov 29th

It’s a bit hard to tell how good Arkansas will be since they have nine newcomers on the roster but they’re all very talented and capable of scoring. They have Khalif Battle (Temple), Tramon Mark (Houston), and El Ellis, the leading scorer from Louisville that Duke fans are familiar with. It’s the lone true road game for the team in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge and it’s going to be an extremely hostile crowd down in Fayetteville to deal with.

1. (N) Michigan State Spartans – Nov 14th

The annual Champions Classic matchup gives Duke one of the more experienced teams in the country in Michigan State, who returns four of five starters. That includes the quality backcourt duo of Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard.

Add a top-5 incoming recruiting class and there’s a ton of depth as well. If five-star big man prospect Xavier Booker is a force out of the gate, this will be an extremely tough early matchup for the Blue Devils to deal with