Since becoming the Michigan basketball head coach, Dusty May hasn't shied away from marquee matchups and another is coming, this time against the Duke Blue Devils in February.
NEWS: Duke and Michigan are finalizing an agreement to play a neutral site game at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. in February of 2026, according to multiple sources.https://t.co/5guiaeXmWj
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 23, 2025
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports got the scoop on Wednesday, reporting that Duke and the Wolverines meet in February 2026 in Washington, D.C.
The timing is interesting because most non-conference matchups happen earlier in the season, such as November or December. Michigan basketball and Duke will be playing during the middle of the conference schedule, but the marquee matchup has upside for both programs.
Michigan and Duke will feel like a March Madness Preview
The Wolverines and Blue Devils each made the Sweet 16 this past season, with Duke advancing to the national semifinals. Michigan basketball lost to Auburn in the Sweet 16. Yet, since then, the Wolverines have been one of the most aggressive teams in the college basketball transfer portal.
Michigan landed Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 1 player in the portal, according to 247 Sports, as well as Aday Mara from UCLA, Morez Johnson from Illinois, and Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina.
It's one of the top-ranked classes, regardless of who you ask. Duke is losing Cooper Flagg, who is expected to contend for the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, but Jon Scheyer has another super-talented recruiting class coming in with three of the top 24 players (according to 247 Sports). That includes Cameron and Cayden Boozer, the sons of Carlos Boozer.
Caleb Foster is one of the starters from last season who has already announced a return. Isaiah Evans, a former five-star recruit who was solid off the bench last season for Duke, is also coming back for the Blue Devils.
In addition to Michigan's transfer haul, Nimari Burnett, a 37-game starter, announced his return earlier this week. Will Tschetter, Roddy Gayle, and LJ Cason, three others in the rotation during the NCAA tournament run, will also return for the Wolverines.
Both teams have been ranked among the preseason top 10, so the game in February should serve as a preview for March Madness and maybe that's the point.