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On Tuesday night, the Duke Blue Devils will tip off their exhibition schedule ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season, welcoming Tennessee to Cameron Indoor Stadium at 7:00 pm ET. This marks the second consecutive year the two programs have met in a preseason exhibition; last season, Duke secured an 83-76 victory over the Volunteers in Knoxville.
Duke enters the matchup after a dominant 102-62 scrimmage win over Belmont on Oct. 8, a performance that suggested the Blue Devils could be among the nation's elite. Now they face a significant early challenge against Tennessee, ranked No. 8 in the AP Preseason Top 25, while Duke sits at No. 2.
Here are three Blue Devils to keep an eye on in the team's first exhibition of the preseason.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje
In his first collegiate action at just 17 years old, freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje may have been the best player on the floor for head coach Jon Scheyer in the scrimmage win over Belmont. The 7'1" big man tied for the game high with 19 points, adding seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 2-of-5 from three-point range.
Boumtje Boumtje is already viewed as one of the top players in the ACC. He was named Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, earned Preseason All-ACC Second Team honors, and even received a vote for Preseason ACC Player of the Year. What stood out most against the Bruins was how comfortable he looked; he started the game and made an immediate impact in multiple ways. It will be intriguing to see how comfortable the rookie appears against a preseason top-10 squad. Rick Barnes has built Tennessee into a team that can be one of the nation's more prolific scoring units, but the Volunteers also boast size at various positions. Belmont was a solid first test, but Tennessee represents a different level of competition. A strong outing against the Volunteers could indicate that Boumtje Boumtje is ready to become one of Duke's primary offensive options sooner than some expected.
Deron Rippey Jr.
Five-star freshman Deron Rippey Jr.'s performance against Belmont may have flown under the radar, but he was highly impactful on both ends of the floor. Rippey recorded 11 points, two assists, and a steal in 22 minutes. Tennessee is built to win with high-level offense and will likely look to push the pace. Rippey's defensive intensity and effort were evident when he entered the game against Belmont, and he will have to contend with some big-time scoring guards on defense, such as Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris and VCU transfer Terrence Hill Jr. Rippey will provide a stellar spark of energy off the bench for the Blue Devils this season, but his defensive impact against a few high-level scoring guards will be worth watching.
Sebastian Wilkins
Controlling the pace will likely be a key factor in this game, as Duke demonstrated against Belmont that it is extremely difficult to find a half-court offensive rhythm once the Blue Devils are set defensively. Wilkins is an interesting player to monitor this season in terms of what his role actually looks like. Against the Bruins, Wilkins finished with eight points, six rebounds, and two steals in 22 minutes. At 6'8", he is a versatile and switchable defender, but he showed against Belmont that he will do all the little things it takes to win games. The redshirt freshman has big-time shooting potential, and if Duke needs a scoring spark off the bench against the Volunteers, Wilkins can deliver. His clearest role in the rotation this year is as a 3-and-D wing off the bench. Against a presumed quick-scoring and up-tempo team like Tennessee, he can put his two-way value on display.