Duke, UConn Reportedly Finalizing Neutral Site Game on Thanksgiving Eve for 2026 CBB Schedule

Duke and UConn could be headed to Las Vegas for an Elite Eight rematch next November.

The two men's basketball programs are "finalizing an agreement to meet on Thanksgiving Eve at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas," according to College Hoops Today's Jon Rothstein.

Rothstein noted there is "no timetable on an official announcement."

The news comes one month after UConn earned a trip to the Final Four with a 72-73 upset of top-seeded Duke.

Duke was leading the Elite Eight matchup by 19 points in the first half before UConn launched a comeback capped off by Braylon Mullins' game-winning three pointer.

Duke could now get the chance to earn redemption from that NCAA Tournament collapse in Las Vegas.

Thanksgiving Eve is set for Wednesday, Nov. 25, a date that could coincide with the Players Era championships in Las Vegas. Last year the event ran from Nov. 24 to No. 27.

The overlap comes amid questions about the future of the Players Era tournament, which had originally announced plans to expand from 18 to 32 teams. Sportico's Daniel Libit reported in March the tournament was instead considering a 24-team field for 2026.

This likely won't be the only marquee non-conference matchup for Duke, which traveled to multiple neutral sites last season in order to take on top programs.

That included two trips to Madison Square Garden to face Kansas and Texas Tech, a Thanksgiving Day matchup against Arkansas in Chicago and a February meeting with Michigan in Washington, D.C.

College basketball fans could have several months to go until the full slate for 2026-27 is confirmed. Duke didn't lock in all non-conference opponents for last season until late August 2025.

Duke brought in top transfer guard John Blackwell and top recruit Cameron Williams this offseason to join returning players Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba.

Coach Jon Scheyer will hope that lineup is deep enough to bounce back from losing Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans to the 2026 NBA draft in time to take on what is likely to be another challenging non-conference schedule.