DURHAM, N.C. — Preseason college basketball takes center stage Tuesday evening as No. 2 Duke hosts No. 8 Tennessee in an exhibition clash at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Eastern time on ACC Network. The meeting serves as a rematch from last year’s exhibition slate, when the Blue Devils topped the Volunteers 83-76 in Knoxville, Tennessee, according to The Fayetteville Observer.
Early Tests for Both Programs
Duke enters the matchup following an emphatic 102-62 scrimmage victory over Belmont on Oct. 8. Head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad holds the No. 2 spot in both the Associated Press preseason poll and the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball preseason poll.
Tennessee, led by head coach Rick Barnes, comes in ranked No. 8 in the AP poll and No. 9 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Volunteers are looking to bounce back after dropping their opening exhibition 86-70 to Xavier on Oct. 15 at Food City Center, Vols Wire reported. Under Barnes, Tennessee owns a 16-3 record in exhibition contests, with an overall program mark of 88-21 in such games.
The Volunteers will face the Blue Devils short-handed, as Tyler Lundblade and Jalen Washington are both slated to sit out Tuesday, according to The Sporting News.
Blue Devils Spotlight Freshmen
Sports Illustrated highlighted several Duke players entering the matchup with momentum, led by 17-year-old freshman center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. The 7-foot-1 rookie matched the game high with 19 points while adding seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks on 7-of-11 shooting in the scrimmage win against Belmont.
Boumtje Boumtje was selected as the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, earned a spot on the Preseason All-ACC Second Team, and collected a vote for Preseason ACC Player of the Year, Sports Illustrated reported. Tuesday’s game presents a stiffer defensive challenge inside against Tennessee’s size.
In the backcourt, five-star freshman Deron Rippey Jr. logged 11 points, two assists and a steal in 22 minutes off the bench against Belmont. Rippey is expected to help counter Tennessee’s quick-paced attack and defend transfers such as former Wake Forest guard Juke Harris and VCU transfer Terrence Hill Jr.
Duke will also look for defensive versatility from redshirt freshman Wilkins, a 6-foot-8 wing who recorded eight points, six rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes during the Belmont scrimmage.
Broadcast and What Comes Next
ACC Network will televise Tuesday’s game, with Doug Sherman handling play-by-play commentary and Cory Alexander providing analysis, according to Vols Wire. Streaming coverage is available via Fubo, outlets reported.
Historically, the Tennessee-Duke series is tied at 8-8 across regular-season and postseason play, with the first meeting dating back to February 1911.
Following Tuesday’s matchup, Duke will conclude its exhibition slate on Sunday, Oct. 25, when the Blue Devils travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to face the Kansas Jayhawks. Duke is scheduled to officially open the regular season at home against Army on Nov. 2.
