Why Duke’s Schedule Is About To Ramp Up

The No. 4-ranked Duke Blue Devils have looked like one of the best teams in college basketball through the first half of the season, getting out to a 21-1 overall record and a 10-0 record in ACC play. The Blue Devils have won 10 games in a row, and eight of their last nine by double digits.

Duke is currently No. 2 in the NCAA NET Rankings with a 9-1 record in Quadrant 1, a 13-1 record across the first two quadrants, an 11-0 record at home, and a 7-0 record in true road games.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer (right) talks to forward Isaiah Evans (3) during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Boasting potentially the best overall body of work of any team in college hoops this season, the Blue Devils have dealt with few issues thus far. It's not like the team hasn't been tested either, as Jon Scheyer put his club through one of the toughest non-conference schedules of any team in the nation.

Duke is 7-1 against AP Top 25-ranked opponents this season, with only three of those victories coming at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Hit the Duke x @SLAMonline pop-up today! 🔥😈 pic.twitter.com/p5O4dladTh
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 5, 2026

The Blue Devils are battle-tested and are ready for the uptick in competition that's to come, but there's no question that Duke's schedule to close out the season is ramping up.

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks to media members after the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Duke Schedule Heating Up As Regular Season Closes Down

The Blue Devils are getting ready for the first edition of the best rivalry in college basketball on Saturday, as they will face No. 14 North Carolina (18-4, 6-3 ACC) in Chapel Hill at 6:30 pm ET. The Tar Heels are riding a four-game win streak heading into the contest while averaging 88.5 points per game over that stretch.

Beyond the rivalry matchup, Duke has five Quadrant 1 games remaining on its regular season slate as the NET Rankings currently stand and five contests against teams currently ranked in the AP Poll.

Win 21 🎥🦅😈 pic.twitter.com/hpkrp9zWmk
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 5, 2026

The Blue Devils will take on No. 20 Clemson (19-4, 9-1 ACC) and No. 18 Virginia (19-3, 8-2 ACC) at Cameron Indoor Stadium, while also taking on the Tar Heels twice.

But the icing on the cake will be Duke's neutral court bout in Washington, D.C., against No. 2 Michigan in late February that will be potentially the best game of the entire college hoops season.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) calls the play during the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Duke Is Already Battle Tested

Duke's remaining schedule is a daunting one for sure, but the Blue Devils have already been through a similar stretch, facing four AP Top 25 opponents in a five-game stretch back in the non-con portion of the year.

The Blue Devils went 4-1 over that period.

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duke's rivalry date with UNC kicks off a challenging ending to the regular season, but few teams are more prepared for a stretch like that than Duke.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE, and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE.