One of the absolutely biggest regular season games of the entire year finally comes late in February, and it’s a matchup that’s been worth the wait. Two of the very best teams in the nation face each other in Washington DC for the Edward Jones Capital Showcase as Michigan and Duke battle in what could potentially be a Final Four preview.
Sitting atop the national polls and many of the metrics, Michigan (25-1) has been the best team in the nation this season. They proved that with those remarkable showings earlier in the year and have just kept winning through a rigorous Big Ten schedule. The Wolverines sit comfortably atop their league standings and have run off 11 straight wins, including a fantastic double-digit win at Purdue just a few days ago.
With the way they’ve played this season, nobody’s counting out Duke (24-2) as a national title threat. Their two losses were by a combined four points against Texas Tech and North Carolina in heartbreaking endings while taking control of the ACC standings with a 13-1 mark. The Blue Devils look the part of a contender with Cameron Boozer playing at a top level while beating up on league foes and nonconference contenders alike.
Michigan vs. Duke: When and Where
Date:Â Saturday, February 21, 2026, 6:30 pm ET
Location:Â Capital One Arena in Washington, DC
Michigan vs. Duke: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch:Â ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
Michigan vs. Duke: Betting Odds
Spread: Michigan -3.5, Duke +3.5
Moneyline:Â Michigan -170, Duke +142
Total: 148.5
Michigan vs. Duke: Series History
All-time series:Â Duke leads 22-8
Last meeting:Â Duke 79, Michigan 69 (December 3, 2013)
Projected Starting Lineups
Michigan Wolverines
Yaxel Lendeborg (14.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Morez Johnson Jr. (13.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
Aday Mara (11.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg)
Elliot Cadeau (10.1 ppg, 5.5 apg)
Nimari Burnett (9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Duke Blue Devils
Cameron Boozer (22.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.9 apg)
Isaiah Evans (14.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Patrick Ngongba II (10.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Caleb Foster (8.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Dame Sarr (5.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
These are the kinds of games worth waiting months to see and it’s hard to know just what will happen on Saturday evening. First things first, Boozer will be the best player on the court but it’s hard to compare Duke’s whole crew against Michigan. The Wolverines just boast an incredible deep and talented rotation that has constantly found ways to win this season. Duke is coming off a remarkable offensive showing and will need to find open shots against these Wolverines. We’ll be watching to see Mara and the rest of Michigan’s frontcourt can limit Boozer without giving up open shots to Evans and that backcourt in what will be a brilliant chess match between Jon Scheyer and Dusty May.
Who do you think takes care of business in this highly-anticipated showdown in DC? Does Michigan continue what’s been an impressive run or can Duke’s offense catch fire and find a way to keep up with these brilliant Wolverines?