Duke Blue Devils, Arizona Wildcats announce 2023 two-game series plan

The Duke and Arizona men's basketball teams announced a two-game series that will begin the 2023-24 season.

The first game will be held at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 10, 2023. The second contest will be held in Tucson the following season. The exact dates and times of the games have not been revealed.

The two programs are known for their success on the court. For instance, the Blue Devils have won five national championships while the Wildcats have participated in 44 NCAA tournaments. Under the leadership of first-year head coach Jon Scheyer, Duke is currently ranked fourth on the all-time list with 2,246 victories.

Tommy Lloyd, who is in his second year as the head coach of the Wildcats, is currently 11th on the all-time list with a record of 1,884 victories. He has also led his team to 34 appearances in the NCAA tournament.

The teams have faced off against each other five times. The Wildcats hold a 5-4 advantage over the Blue Devils. The last eight meetings between the two schools have featured Top 25 contests.

The last time the two teams met was in 2013 when Arizona defeated Duke 72-66 during the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Wildcats also beat the Blue Devils in 2011.

In 2001, Carlos Boozer and Shane Battier carried Duke to its third national title with a double-double performance as the Blue Devils defeated Arizona 82-72. In 1997, the two teams faced off in the title match of the Maui Invitational. The game featured the two teams ranked first and third in the country.

The only time the Wildcats played at Cameron was in 1990, when they defeated Duke 78-76. On the other hand, Duke is 0-for-2 against Arizona at McKale Center. The Blue Devils suffered a 103-96 double-overtime loss on February 24, 1991.

Excitement on upcoming series

Scheyer, also the head coach of the Blue Devils, expressed his excitement about the upcoming series between his team and the Wildcats. He noted that it would be great for college basketball to have these two programs play.

"I have tremendous respect for Tommy Lloyd and Arizona. For our team, I'm grateful for what I know will be important early-season tests. For our fans and for college basketball, it will be exciting to see these storied programs over the next two years come together in two of the greatest on-campus venues in the sport," Scheyer said.

Lloyd, the head coach of the Wildcats, is also excited about the upcoming series against the Blue Devils.

"We felt this was a great opportunity to play two games against an incredible program like Duke," Lloyd said of the matchup.

Lloyd also noted that it would be an excellent opportunity for his team to play against a program with a rich history. However, both school officials had to ensure that the games benefited the players and the fans.

"Both programs are national brands with a rich history and have played some memorable games against each other, especially in the NCAA Tournament. But Coach Scheyer and I both felt these games would benefit our programs and be something that our fans would be excited about," Lloyd said.