For the first time since 2019, Duke basketball will play a top-25 nonconference opponent in its home arena.
Credit to head coaches Jon Scheyer and Tommy Lloyd for scheduling a home-and-home series between the Blue Devils and Arizona. The second game of that contract takes place Friday (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) at the McKale Center in Tucson.
It’ll be No. 12 Duke (3-1) vs. No. 17 Arizona (2-1) in one of the marquee games ahead of Thanksgiving. The Wildcats have won six of the teams’ 10 meetings, including a 78-73 win last season at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Excluding the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the trip to Arizona will be the Blue Devils’ first road game against a top-25 nonconference opponent since losing at No. 7 Georgetown in 2010 (Jon Scheyer’s senior year). Duke hasn’t won a road game against a top-25 nonconference opponent outside of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge since winning at No. 17 Temple in 2000.
Here are some other things to know and a score prediction for the Blue Devils’ trip to Tucson.
Caleb Love history vs Duke basketball
For the final time, unless Arizona and Duke meet in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, fifth-year guard Caleb Love and the Blue Devils will square off on the hardwood. Famous — or infamous, in Duke’s case — for his shot against the Blue Devils at the 2022 Final Four, Love has averaged 16.8 points in eight games against Duke.
Love, who has a 5-3 record against the Blue Devils, has struggled with his efficiency in those games, posting a combined 39.2 shooting percentage, with 34 assists and 27 turnovers. Junior guard Tyrese Proctor will likely be the one tasked with guarding Love, who had 11 points last season against Duke.
Caleb Love waves goodbye to Cameron Crazies
Will Duke or Arizona make more 3-pointers?
In their biggest games so far, Duke and Arizona couldn’t connect from long distance.
The Blue Devils are shooting 37.2% from 3-point range through four games, but they shot 16.7% on 24 attempts in their loss to Kentucky. The Wildcats have experienced a tougher time across each of their three games, knocking down just 27.4% of their 3-pointers. In its loss at Wisconsin, Arizona shot 17.4% on 23 attempts from beyond the arc.
The squad that can make a few outside shots on Friday will be able to open things up for the rest of its offense. That team will likely walk off the court as the winner.
Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach vs Arizona basketball’s Tobe Awaka in rebounding battle
Duke freshmen Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach have accounted for 66 of the Blue Devils’ 177 rebounds through four games. They’ll need their best rebounding game of the season on Friday against Arizona’s Tobe Awaka, a top-15 player in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage (per KenPom.com).
Awaka, a Tennessee transfer, is averaging 10.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game as the Wildcats’ top threat on the interior. Because of his versatility, Duke’s Maliq Brown (6.3 rebounds per game) will also be tasked with helping the Devils win the rebounding battle.
Duke vs Arizona score prediction
Duke 78, Arizona 73: The Wildcats are 49-3 at home in the last three-plus seasons and haven’t lost multiple games at the McKale Center in a single season since 2021. But the lessons learned from its loss to Kentucky will serve Duke well in a tough environment and lead to a big-time win for the Blue Devils.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball vs Arizona: Score prediction, scouting report
