The Duke Blue Devils enter the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season as one of the highest-ranking teams in the nation. As the No. 6 seed, Duke prepares for a challenging season that officially tips off on November 4 against Texas at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
Ahead of the regular season, Duke faced UCF in an exhibition game on Tuesday, October 21. Duke secured a dominant 96-71 victory, largely thanks to a standout performance from star freshman Cameron Boozer, who posted 33 points and 12 rebounds. They are set to play their second and final exhibition game against another ranked opponent: No. 18 Tennessee.
How Can You Watch the Duke vs. Tennessee Exhibition Game?
Here’s all the information you need to catch the last exhibition game for the Duke men’s basketball team before the 2025-26 regular season begins.
Date: Sunday, October 26
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Food City Center in Knoxville
TV Channel: ESPN2
Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network, WNML 99.1 FM
Streaming: ESPN.com, the ESPN app, and Fubo
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
According to a press release by Duke, their starting five will feature Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Nik Khamenia, Cameron Boozer, and Patrick Ngongba II. Conversely, Tennessee’s projected starting five includes Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Bishop Boswell, Nate Ament, Jaylen Carey, and Felix Okpara.
What Is the History Between Duke and Tennessee?
The matchup between Duke and Tennessee is rich with history and early-season intrigue. The Volunteers, who ended the 2024-25 season with a 30-8 record and reached the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year, will host a Duke team coming off one of its most successful campaigns. In the 2024-25 season, Duke finished with a 35-4 overall record, which marked the program’s 17th 30-win season. The year ended with Duke’s 18th Final Four appearance, 23rd ACC Tournament title, and 21st ACC regular-season championship.
Historically, the all-time series between the two programs is tied at 8-8. Tennessee won the last meeting, defeating Duke 65-52 in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament in Orlando. Duke’s previous road game in Knoxville was nearly five decades ago, when they secured an 81-78 victory on December 7, 1976.
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This season, head coach Jon Scheyer’s team enters with a blend of proven experience and elite young talent. The roster includes five returning players from last year’s squad, complemented by the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class. Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year Cameron Boozer leads that class. Additionally, sophomore Isaiah Evans, who led Duke in three-point percentage last season at 41.6%, starts his new campaign as a Preseason All-ACC Second Team selection.
Sunday’s clash in Knoxville will serve as Duke’s final tune-up before embarking on that demanding schedule. This game will provide an early test of chemistry, depth, and poise against one of the SEC’s toughest teams.
