The Duke basketball program will once again enter the college basketball season as the team to beat out of the ACC, but this is probably the deepest the league has been in any of the last several seasons.
Squads such as Louisville, Virginia, Miami, and North Carolina all have the potential to challenge the Blue Devils for the ACC crown in 2026-27. Duke is looking to secure its third straight ACC regular-season and tournament titles, and the program has gone a combined 36-2 in conference play over the last few seasons.
Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Jon Scheyer’s club will face North Carolina and Virginia both at home and on the road, and will take on Miami and Louisville once. All of those programs have reloaded and have legitimate potential to compete on a national scale. However, as Duke fans know, both bouts with the Tar Heels are the most highly anticipated of the entire year.
North Carolina Had a Chaotic Offseason
North Carolina fired head coach Hubert Davis after five seasons, following a second consecutive exit in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Heels brought in former NBA champion Michael Malone to take over at the helm. Malone won a title with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.
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As it usually is with a head coaching change, North Carolina saw a large number of departures after Davis was let go. Eight of the team’s top 10 scorers from a season ago are no longer with the program, but Malone had a very successful first offseason with UNC despite arriving late.
UNC is bringing in several intriguing portal additions, such as Terrence Brown (Utah), Matt Able (NC State), and Neoklis Avdalas (Virginia Tech). The Tar Heels also signed two international big men in Alexandros Samodurov and Sayon Keita.
The Heels look like a potential contender atop the ACC, but there is one guard that the Blue Devils will have to monitor, as he could turn into one of the best scoring guards in the conference.
Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) drives around Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images
Terrence Brown Could Become One of the Top Scorers in the ACC
Terrence Brown headed to Chapel Hill after two seasons at Fairleigh Dickinson and spent this past season at Utah, where the 6’3″ guard turned into one of the best backcourt pieces in the Big 12, despite playing for a Utes team that went just 10-22 on the year.
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With Utah in 2025-26, Brown averaged 19.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals a night on 45.3% shooting from the field on a massive 15.4 shot attempts per game. He hasn’t established a consistent outside shot throughout his collegiate career, shooting just 29.4% over three seasons, but he has a diverse scoring arsenal and can create in many ways.
Brown will fill a John Blackwell-esque role with the Tar Heels next season, as he will have the ball in his hands often and will have the freedom to get up a ton of shots. North Carolina has one of the most underrated backcourts in the ACC, and Brown is at the forefront of that group.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as One ACC Newcomer Duke Basketball Must Monitor.
