‘Duke Effect’ Was in Full Swing at Capital One Arena Saturday

This past Saturday night's heavyweight bout between then-No. 3 Duke (25-2, 13-1 ACC) and then-No. 1 Michigan was one of the most highly anticipated college basketball games of the entire season, and it didn't disappoint.

Michigan and Duke entered the contest as the top two teams in both the NCAA NET Rankings and at KenPom, respectively. Both were the top two overall defenses at KenPom as well.

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

With both programs riding win streaks heading into the contest, it had the makeup to be the best game of the entire 2025-26 campaign. It might not have been the prettiest battle in the world, but it was a fantastic watch in a great atmosphere.

The Blue Devils ultimately won the game, 68-63, in an impressive defensive showing from both sides. Duke limited a Wolverines' squad that averages about 90 points per game to just 63, their lowest point total all year. This was just the second game this season in which Michigan has been held to under 70 points.

As a result, Duke will now jump to the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 as well as become the top overall projected seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The contest lived up to the hype, and the crowd it drew shows how hyped up this game was.

Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) drives to the basket against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Damarco Minor (middle) during the first half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Duke vs. Michigan Drew Fans Better Than Any Other Neutral Site Game

Duke took on Michigan at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., home of the Washington Wizards. This is the second year in a row that Jon Scheyer has scheduled a premier non-conference game for Duke in February.

In 2025, the Blue Devils faced Illinois at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 22. Duke won that game 110-67.

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Saturday's bout between likely the top two teams in college basketball drew a pretty wild viewership. Duke vs. Michigan tallied an attendance of 20,537. This makes the game the highest-attended neutral-site game this season, as well as the largest crowd for a college basketball game ever at Capital One Arena.

20,537

*highest-attended neutral-site game this season

*biggest college hoops crowd ever at Capital One Arena#TheDukeEffect pic.twitter.com/lUXHAkBzCw
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 22, 2026

‘The Duke Effect’ in Full Swing

As one of the most storied programs in the sport with a fanbase that travels, Duke is always going to fill arenas, which makes including it in games at NBA arenas that are harder to fill for a college game extremely valuable.

Duke is also the most-watched team in college basketball this season. The Blue Devils' neutral court win on Thanksgiving over Arkansas drew 6.8 million viewers, and their road date in Chapel Hill against North Carolina (21-6, 9-5 ACC) drew 3.5 million.

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