Elliot Cadeau may have traded Carolina Blue for Michigan maize, but he’s not done with Duke just yet.
The former North Carolina Tar Heels point guard, now part of the Michigan Wolverines, is set to face his old nemesis in what promises to be one of the most highly anticipated non-conference matchups of the 2025-26 college basketball season. According to CBS Sports insider Matt Norlander, Michigan and Duke are finalizing plans to clash in Washington, D.C., on February 21 or 22 at Capital One Arena.
It’s a chance for Cadeau to even the score—literally. Over his two seasons at Chapel Hill, Cadeau went 2-3 against the Blue Devils. He started off hot as a freshman, helping lead UNC to a regular-season sweep in 2023-24. But his sophomore year told a different story. Duke got the best of the Tar Heels three times, including a heartbreaking 74-71 loss in the ACC Tournament semifinals at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.
Now, with a fresh start at Michigan and a potential top-25 matchup on the horizon, Cadeau has a golden opportunity to square his personal rivalry record against Duke at 3-3. The setting—a March Madness-style environment at the same arena set to host the 2026 NCAA Tournament East Regional—adds even more fuel to the fire.
While this game won’t count in the ACC standings or the Big Ten, the stakes are emotional and symbolic. For Cadeau, it’s a chance to remind Duke—and the college basketball world—of the player who once led UNC to dominance over their most bitter rival.
And who knows? With both teams projected to be among the nation’s elite, it may just be a preview of a deeper run in March.
