The Duke Blue Devils are headed back to the Big Apple.
The school announced on Wednesday that it had officially scheduled a February game against Illinois set for Madison Square Garden, the most iconic venue in the sport.
The game, scheduled for February 22, will be part of the SentinelOne Classic.
Blue Devils fans shouldn’t be surprised by the announcement. Reports surfaced as early as May that the two schools were working out an agreement to play in 2024-25, and Illinois coach Brad Underwood said that same month that they had their eyes on February for an official date.
The Fighting Illini matched Duke’s run to the Elite Eight last season, finishing with a 29-9 record and ending up No. 7 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Duke has played in the famous New York arena 59 previous times, and the late-season duel will be the 11th time the Blue Devils make it to Madison Square Garden in 12 seasons.
OFFICIAL: Running it back at MSG in February!
🆚 Illinois
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/ijmbWxLjm4— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) August 14, 2024
The Fighting Illini join a gauntlet of non-conference opponents for the Blue Devils in 2024-25 as Jon Scheyer leads his team against Kentucky, Kansas, Auburn, and Arizona.