Michigan basketball to play Duke at Madison Sq. Backyard in December

[ad_1] Michigan basketball has added a well-recognized heavy hitter to its 2026-27 schedule.

For the second 12 months in a row the Wolverines will play Duke, this time at historic Madison Sq. Backyard in New York on Monday, Dec. 21, an individual with information of the scenario instructed the Free Press on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren't permitted to talk publicly.

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Michigan and Duke met final season at Capital One Area in Washington in February, one in every of three U-M losses all 12 months because the Blue Devils received, 68-63.

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Michigan basketball suggestions off vs UConn for 2026 NCAA championship Michigan ahead Yaxel Lendeborg (23) walks in the direction of the locker room because the workforce arrive for the nationwide championship recreation at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

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Michigan basketball suggestions off vs UConn for 2026 NCAA championship Michigan ahead Yaxel Lendeborg (23) walks in the direction of the locker room because the workforce arrive for the nationwide championship recreation at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

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Michigan basketball suggestions off vs UConn for 2026 NCAA championship Michigan ahead Yaxel Lendeborg (23) rides a golf cart in the direction of the locker room because the workforce arrive for the nationwide championship recreation at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

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Michigan basketball suggestions off vs UConn for 2026 NCAA championship Michigan guard Nimari Burnett (4), proper, and guard L.J. Cason (2), left, journey a golf cart in the direction of the locker room because the workforce arrive for the nationwide championship recreation at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

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Michigan basketball suggestions off vs UConn for 2026 NCAA championship Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) rides a golf cart in the direction of the locker room because the workforce arrive for the nationwide championship recreation at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

That is the third identified matchup on U-M's upcoming schedule, with Michigan already lined as much as play Marquette within the first of a home-and-home and play Villanova within the return journey to Pennsylvania after Michigan hosted the Wildcats final December.

Many believed Michigan and Duke have been headed for a rematch final season within the NCAA Event, two of the three favorites to win the title for a lot of the season together with Arizona. As a substitute, Duke blew a 19-point result in UConn, which ended with a 30-foot game-winning shot by Braylon Mullins with 0.3 seconds left to cap the historic Duke collapse.

LAST YEAR'S GAME: Michigan basketball stumbles down stretch vs Duke in battle of 1-seeds

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Michigan would go on to beat UConn within the title recreation, 69-63, to win this system's second nationwide championship.

This recreation for Duke in opposition to Michigan is reportedly one in every of three video games the Blue Devils will take part in as a part of a three-game package deal with Amazon: it additionally features a rematch in opposition to UConn in Las Vegas on Nov. 25, and a recreation in opposition to Gonzaga on Feb. 20 in Detroit at Little Caesars Area.

Duke, like Michigan, is predicted to be top-of-the-line groups within the nation in 2026-27. The Blue Devils return Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba II, Dame Sarr and Cayden Boozer and added former Wisconsin standout (a Michigan native and Brother Rice alum) John Blackwell.

<img alt="Wisconsin guard John Blackwell (25) dribbles against Michigan guard Nimari Burnett (4) during the first half of Big Ten Tournament semifinal at United Center in Chicago on Saturday, March 14, 2026." loading="lazy" width="960" height="640" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="standard-img" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/9FjrSS50h6lxKgQqUbgrIw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/detroit-free-press/a34a3ea3d0216550781029e843e65d56"/> Wisconsin guard John Blackwell (25) dribbles in opposition to Michigan guard Nimari Burnett (4) throughout the first half of Massive Ten Event semifinal at United Heart in Chicago on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Michigan has additionally remade its roster with a trio of switch portal additions − Moustapha Thiam, J.P. Estrella and Jalen Reed − in addition to six incoming freshmen in Brandon McCoy Jr., Quinn Costello, Joseph Hartmann, Malachi Brown, Lincoln Cosby and Marcus Moller.

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The Wolverines additionally return a pair of key contributors within the again courtroom in Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, whereas Oscar Goodman and Ricky Liburd are anticipated to tackle extra roles.