Duke University’s men’s basketball team, the Blue Devils, is set to return to Madison Square Garden in December 2026 for a pair of non‑conference contests that will mark a notable homecoming for the program, marking their first appearance at the venue since 2022.
A Historic Return to Madison Square Garden
The schedule features a showdown with Harvard on December 4, 2026, part of the Brotherhood Run series, where Crimson Tide coach Tommy Amaker, a former Duke point guard and longtime assistant to Mike Krzyzewski, will lead his squad onto the Garden’s historic floor.
The games are anchored by the Jimmy V Classic, a charity event that has seen Duke claim four victories, the most recent coming in 2022 when they defeated Iowa in New York, highlighting the tournament’s role in supporting cancer research.
Adding to the significance, Duke will also meet Georgia in the same Classic on December 8, 2026, reviving a rivalry that last intersected in a 1932 Southern Conference tournament semifinal, a game that Georgia won, underscoring the long‑standing competitive history between the programs.
Beyond the marquee matchups, the Blue Devils will round out their non‑conference slate with a December 21 game against Texas Tech, which replaces a previously slated contest against Michigan that was to be streamed on Amazon Prime, ensuring a full slate of high‑profile opponents.
Tommy Amaker’s connection to Duke runs deep; after starring as a point guard in the 1980s, he spent nine years as an assistant to legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski before taking the helm at Harvard, bringing a personal thread that fans will watch closely.
All proceeds from the Jimmy V Classic benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research, an organization that has distributed more than $500 million in grants since its inception in 1993, underscoring the event’s broader impact beyond the hardwood.