Historic First-Ever Meeting Slated for Nov. 14
The 2025-26 Duke basketball season continues to take shape with the addition of a compelling non-conference matchup. As reported by college basketball insider Rocco Miller, the Blue Devils will host the Indiana State Sycamores on Friday, November 14, in a game that marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Despite their rich histories—Duke’s program launching in 1906 and Indiana State’s in 1899—the schools have never crossed paths on the hardwood until now.
The showdown will take place inside the legendary Cameron Indoor Stadium, where Duke has established one of the most formidable home-court advantages in the country. The Blue Devils finished a dominant 2024-25 campaign with a 35-4 record, including an unblemished 17-0 mark at home. Under head coach Jon Scheyer, now entering his fourth season at the helm, Duke captured the ACC Tournament title and earned its first Final Four berth since the retirement of coaching legend Mike Krzyzewski in 2022.
Indiana State, meanwhile, is in the early stages of a new era under head coach Matthew Graves. The Sycamores posted a 14-18 record last season following a remarkable 32-7 run the year prior under former coach Josh Schertz. While still finding their footing under Graves, Indiana State will look to make a statement against one of the nation’s premier programs.
The November 14 contest is one of several high-profile non-conference matchups on Duke’s early-season slate. The Blue Devils are set to face Texas in Charlotte on November 4, travel to Army on November 11, take on Kansas in New York City on November 18, visit Michigan State in December, and battle Michigan in Washington, D.C., in February.
As always, Duke’s non-conference schedule reflects the program’s commitment to national relevance and elite competition. The historic matchup with Indiana State adds a new chapter to both programs’ legacies and promises to be a notable date in the early college basketball season.
