Bermudian basketball player Ralph Scott and his University of Tennessee teammates will face one of college basketball's biggest challenges before the new season begins after the Volunteers confirmed a preseason exhibition against Duke.
The October 20 meeting at the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, will see Tennessee travel to face the Blue Devils for the second consecutive year in an eagerly anticipated exhibition. Tip-off time and television details are yet to be announced.
The fixture brings together two of the most consistent programmes in NCAA basketball, with Tennessee and Duke the only teams in the nation to have reached the Elite Eight in each of the past three seasons.
Last year's exhibition produced an entertaining contest, with Duke claiming an 83-76 victory in Knoxville despite a standout performance from Volunteers guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, who finished with 19 points and eight assists.
The rivalry has been closely contested over the years. The schools are level at 8-8 across 16 regular-season meetings, although Tennessee has won three of the past five encounters. Their most recent official meeting came in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, when the Volunteers recorded an impressive 65-52 victory in Orlando, Florida.
Tennessee will also take confidence from its history at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Volunteers are 2-2 all-time at Duke's famous home court, with their last visit ending in an 86-80 victory in December 1975.
For Scott, the exhibition represents another opportunity to gain valuable experience in one of college basketball's most prestigious environments as Tennessee continues preparations for what promises to be another highly competitive season.
The Volunteers enter the game with an impressive exhibition record of 87 wins and 20 defeats, underlining their ability to perform in preseason competition against quality opposition.
|
