Belmont Will Face Duke in Exhibition Game
The Bruins travel to Durham on October 8 for a preseason basketball matchup at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Basketball
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Belmont University will play an exhibition game against Duke University at Cameron Indoor Stadium on October 8. Head coach Evan Bradds scheduled the meeting with Duke head coach Jon Scheyer to prepare his team for the upcoming season.
Why it matters
The exhibition serves as a vital test for Belmont following their 26-6 campaign in 2025-26. The matchup also reconnects Bradds, a former Duke assistant, with his former coaching colleagues in a high-profile environment.
Belmont finished their 2025-26 season with a 26-6 record and a Missouri Valley Conference championship. Previous contests between the schools include a 71-70 outcome in 2008 and a 77-76 result in 2011-12.
The players
Evan Bradds
He is the head coach of the Belmont Bruins and previously served as an assistant coach at Duke.
Jon Scheyer
He is the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball program.
The details
What began as a joking suggestion from Evan Bradds to Jon Scheyer ultimately resulted in this scheduled scrimmage. Bradds aims to use the high-level competition to ready his squad for the rigors of the regular season starting in November.
Timeline
The 2008 NCAA Tournament matchup saw Duke beat Belmont.
The 2011-2012 regular season featured a Duke victory over Belmont.
Evan Bradds served as an assistant coach at Duke during the 2025-2026 season.
The exhibition game takes place on October 8, 2026.
Belmont's regular season begins in November 2026.
Season Trajectory
This exhibition game provides a high-profile test that helps set the competitive tone for Belmont heading into the regular season. The matchup allows the Bruins to measure their progress against a perennial national contender like Duke.
The game allows coaches to evaluate rotation depth against a top-tier opponent before official conference play begins. Fans can monitor how these preseason minutes translate into individual performance metrics once the regular season tips off in November.
The takeaway
Scheduling high-caliber preseason opponents is a strategic move to prepare players for the intensity of tournament basketball. This exhibition highlights how coaches utilize preseason opportunities to refine team routines and prepare for future conference battles.
Further reading
For more information on the team's upcoming schedule, visit the Basketball page.
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Would you attend a preseason college basketball exhibition game to see your team's new roster?
