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Duke Blue Devils Gear Up for Thrilling Season Opener Against Revamped Texas Longhorns
4 Nov
Summary
- Duke Blue Devils face rebuilt Texas Longhorns team in season opener
- Freshmen Boozer and Khamenia likely to start for Duke
- Duke has lost key players from last season, creating openings for new standouts
As the 2025-26 college basketball season kicks off, the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils are gearing up for a thrilling season opener against the revamped Texas Longhorns. Head coach Jon Scheyer is working to prepare his team for the challenge, acknowledging that it will take time to understand the new rotations and lineups.
Scheyer expects freshmen Cameron Boozer and Nikolas Khamenia to be in Duke's starting lineup, joining returnees Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, and Patrick Ngongba II. The Blue Devils, who reached the Final Four last year, have lost some of their firepower, including first-round NBA draft picks Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach, as well as second-round selections Sion James and Tyrese Proctor. However, Scheyer believes the team's versatility and different lineup options will make up for the numerical depth.
On the other side, the Texas Longhorns, coming off a 19-16 season, have a new head coach in Sean Miller, who is well-traveled and brings experience from his previous stints at Xavier and Arizona. Miller has assembled a roster with a mix of returning players, such as sixth-year guard Tramon Mark, and new additions, including swingman Dailyn Swain and forward Lassina Traore from Xavier, as well as former St. John's guard Simeon Wilcher and ex-Purdue forward Camden Heide.
The Duke-Texas matchup, dubbed the Dick Vitale Invitational, promises to be an exciting start to the season for both teams as they look to establish their identities and make their mark in the 2025-26 campaign.
