The rematch of the Elite Eight showdown from last year will be one of the most anticipated games of the entire season.
According to CBS Sports College Basketball expert Jon Rothstein, the Duke Blue Devils and UConn Huskies men's basketball matchup, slated for this Thanksgiving Eve (Nov. 25), is the biggest non-conference matchup on the men's basketball schedule this season.
It will be a rematch of the Elite Eight game from last season that sent UConn to the Final Four. In that game, UConn freshman Braylon Mullins hit one of the most memorable shots in tournament history with under one second to play. Only recently did Duke head coach Jon Scheyer say that he actually watched the game.
About Duke and UConn this year
As clearly stated, the two teams will play in the regular season this year as part of UConn's supercharged regular season schedule. In addition to Duke, the Huskies will play the likes of Arizona, Illinois and Michigan, who also got to the Final Four last year. They'll also see Kansas, Ohio State and Virginia.
With regards to Duke and UConn, both teams figure to be excellent again, but there are questions about both. Cam Boozer, one of the top players in the country, left Duke for the NBA. Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. both left UConn for the NBA as well (graduation). Guard Solo Ball is reportedly out for the season with a wrist injury.
How do the teams replace these standouts? Those are the questions that the elite coaching staff's will have to face over the course of the preseason and into the regular season.
The game could also have significant impact on the NCAA Tournament, with this serving as a possible standout win that can help determine future seeding.
About playing on Thanksgiving Eve
While the game itself will be really good, it will also be an interesting test for sports fans in general.
Typically, Thanksgiving Eve is seen as a social night and a night to convene with family before the holiday, with football and college basketball games dominating the next-day Thursday slate, and college football and the NFL dominating the weekend.
But this year, we have this elite college hoops matchup on Thanksgiving Eve night - as well as an NFL game featuring the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams. Will sports fans respond to these pre-holiday contests? And how will they do against each other in terms of ratings?
Duke and UConn will tip-off at 7 p.m. ET and will air on Amazon Prime Video. The NFL game will play on Netflix, which will be another part of any ratings discussions.
Up next
UConn opens up its exhibition season on Oct. 13 against Syracuse at Mohegan Sun Arena.
