The post Duke basketball included in 1st-ever Dick Vitale Invitational vs. Texas appeared first on ClutchPoints.
ESPN announced on Monday that the inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational will go down during the 2025-26 season. Year one of this new event will feature the Duke basketball team going up against Texas. The game will take place on November 4th, and it will go down at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Advertisement
“The inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational will feature a marquee matchup between national powers –Texas Longhorns vs. Duke Blue Devils – at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., in the opening days of the 2025-26 season,” ESPN said in a release about the event. “The game is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4, on ESPN. Tip-off time will be announced at a later date.”
Dick Vitale is a fan favorite in the college basketball world. He is one of the best announcers in the game, and he is being rewarded with not only this event, but a contact extension with ESPN as well.
“Dick is the heart of college basketball, and his kindness, generosity and courage are a constant inspiration to us all,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “Through the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational, we will celebrate him and his profound impact on the sport. We are also thrilled that Dick will remain a signature voice on ESPN through the 2027-28 season.”
Vitale was missed by the college basketball world during his fight with cancer, but he announced back in December that he is cancer-free. The sport gained an incredible voice with his return, and he is thrilled for what’s to come.
Advertisement
“ESPN has been such a vital part of my life since December 5, 1979, and I was so thrilled to learn that ESPN Events will have an annual Dick Vitale Invitational,” Vitale said. “Jimmy Pitaro and all my colleagues and friends at ESPN have been so good to me and I am so thankful for all of the prayers and love I have received from them during my cancer battles. ESPN has been family to me and has given me a life that has been even better than my dreams. To the Vitale family, ESPN is ‘Awesome, baby’ with a capital A!”
The inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational is going to be a fun one as it features what should be a matchup between two of the best teams in the country. The Blue Devils made a run to the Final Four last season, and Texas brought in Sean Miller after a run to the NCAA Tournament. The future looks bright for both programs, and it should be a terrific matchup to get the season started.
Related: Porter Moser breaks down Trae Young’s new role with Oklahoma basketball
Related: Flau’jae Johnson, Olivia Miles headline stacked USA Basketball roster
