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Duke Blue Devils guard John Blackwell (13) reacts after scoring a three point shot against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect · USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Duke Blue Devils kick off their quest for a sixth National Championship on Monday night against Army.

On paper, Duke looked like arguably the best roster in the country throughout the offseason. Across three preseason games, it only cemented that claim further. Jon Scheyer's club took down Belmont by 40 points, No. 8 Tennessee by 39 points, and No. 17 Kansas 90-84 at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devils are undoubtedly one of the top contenders in the sport this season, but this team certainly has its differences from each of the last two years' Duke clubs, both of which earned 1-seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

It's a long season, but it begins tonight. Here's everything you need to know before the Blue Devils kick things off against Army.

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Oct 25, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) with the ball against Kansas Jayhawks forward Keanu Dawes (8) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect · IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How To Watch Duke Basketball's Regular-Season Opener Against Army

Date: Monday, Nov. 2

Time: 6:30 pm ET

Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium (Durham, NC)

TV: ESPNU

Announcers: Dave O'Brien and Jay Bilas

Listen:Blue Devil Network

Duke Basketball vs. Army Series History

The Blue Devils are 10-1 against Army all-time, and this is the third time in as many seasons Duke and Army have faced off. Duke hit the road to West Point last season, defeating the Black Knights 114-59. Army came to Cameron Indoor in 2024-25, when Duke won 100-58. Army has defeated the Blue Devils only once, in the 1937-38 season in West Point, a 40-20 victory for the Black Knights.

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Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II (21) looks for an open pass against Kansas Jayhawks guard Tyran Stokes (4) during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect · USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Storylines To Follow for Duke's Opener at Home

Above all, it will be interesting to see how quickly Duke can get into a rhythm, and whether that happens as quickly as it did in its first two preseason games. Against Belmont and Tennessee, the Blue Devils looked practically unbeatable, though Kansas provided a good test on the road before the regular season got underway.

I'd think Scheyer will go fairly deep down the bench to open up the year, and he can realistically go nine, 10, or 11 deep in big games this season if he wants to. The Blue Devils took strides offensively throughout their scrimmage and exhibition games, but that side of the floor tends to take a bit longer than the defensive end to run with fluidity on a consistent basis.

The defense should lead the charge for Duke, and given how elite it looked defensively in the preseason, it will be a good gauge to see how far ahead the Blue Devils are on that end at the start of the regular season.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as How To Watch Duke Basketball's Opener Against Army: TV, Radio, Preview.

Source: Yahoo Sports