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Exhibition game?
It seemed more like, say, an NCAA Elite Eight matchup Tuesday as No. 2 Duke hosted No. 8 Tennessee at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
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The Blue Devils rolled to a 103-64 victory and look more than ready for the real season to begin. The intensity shows. There’s a willingness to share the ball on offense, crank up the pressure on defense and not let up.
“I wish that counted as a game but it doesn’t,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said, smiling. “I thought we were ready, the energy we had in the locker room.”
The Volunteers, with Rick Barnes beginning his 12th season as coach, loaded up in the portal and have the look of a team that can contend for an SEC title. They brought in such players as Juke Harris, the former Wake Forest standout, and Terrence Hill, Jr., who shot North Carolina out of the 2026 NCAA tournament with his 34-point outburst for Virginia Commonwealth.
This one was decided quickly. A lob dunk by Duke’s Dame Sarr had the place cooking early as the Blue Devils quickly built a lead and kept adding to it. It was 54-30 by halftime as players kept bouncing off the Duke bench and into the game, making plays and enjoying making them.
“These games don’t count, they’re zero wins, and they’re just about us learning about each other,” Sarr said. “We’re looking at the whole season. We’re trying to learn about each other’s strengths.”
Freshman guard Deron Rippey, Jr. had 21 points and John Backwell 18 as Duke had six players finish in double figures. Duke shot 54.5% from the field while Tennessee closed at 33.9%, and the Devils had a 44-39 rebounding edge.
“We want to wear on you,” Scheyer said of Duke’s defense. “It may not happen right away, but we just believe over time we can get you.”
Dai Dai Ames, a senior transfer guard from Cal, topped the Vols with 19 points.
Duke and Tennessee went at it a year ago in preseason. Duke emerged with a 83-76 road win as Cameron Boozer had 24 points and 23 rebounds before 39 NBA scouts.
Boozer is in the NBA but this Duke team isn’t lacking talent at any position. Just ask Cayden Boozer, Cam’s twin brother who returned to Duke for a sophomore season and was singled out by Scheyer for having a strong game despite taking one shot — Boozer had six assists and five rebounds.
“That’s going to be the story of our team. You do have to sacrifice,” Scheyer said. “It’s not going to be where anybody is scoring 15 to 20 points a game.”
The Blue Devils have one more exhibition game, Sunday at Kansas.
Kansas? Exhibition game? Duke’s not ducking anyone, in preseason or during the season. The Devils are scheduled to play 10 teams ranked in the AP preseason top 25 when the regular season begins.
Scheyer said senior guard Caleb Foster, who has been sidelined by a foot issue, could play against the Jayhawks.
The Vols’ Barnes had to figure it might be a long night. But this long?
The Devils came out running, attacking and scoring. It was 17-2, Duke, early and then 29-6.
Sarr dunked. Blackwell hit a 3 off an inbounds play. Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje had an easy dunk. Ngongba hit a 3. Sebastian Wilkins hit a 3.
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The Vols had Hill leave with an apparent sprain. Then, Troy Henderson came limping off the floor. Tennessee, beaten by Xavier in its first exhibition game, missed nine of its first 11 shots.
Barnes called a timeout. Then another. The Vols finally settled in a little late in the first half, after falling behind 42-14. Henderson did return in the first half and made a 50-footer buzzer beater.
“I told Jon I’m sorry we didn’t give them a better challenge tonight,” Barnes said.
Duke’s Ngongba has gotten leaner. It shows.
The junior is listed at 6-11 and 250 pounds but his conditioning is on point and it shows in his play.
In the first half, Ngongba filled the stat sheet: 11 points in 14 minutes, five rebounds, two blocks. He made his only 3-pointer, judiciously sticking to just one shot from long range, and was 4-4 at the line. He filled the lane on defense. He finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
A foot issue slowed the big man last year, especially in the postseason, but he has shown good mobility and agility in the pair of exhibition games. To wit: a twist reverse layup early in the second half.
There no way to understate the importance of bringing in Blackwell as Duke secured one of the most sought-after players in the portal.
The transfer from Wisconsin had a certain edge to his game. He’s good and he lets opponents know it. He knows how to score, and does.
Blackwell won’t be asked to be a primary ballhandler. Scorer? Yes. The Devils have a number of options, guys who can get their points, but Blackwell brings experience and maturity.
Early in the second half, he scored seven straight points, with two 3’s, and got a playful push from Sarr.
The Vols’ Harris had been in Cameron before, with Wake Forest. He’s dealt with the Crazies before, with their playful taunts. He has faced Duke at its best.
Harris was a big add for Barnes and Tennessee, and huge loss for Wake, Deacons coach Steve Forbes and the program. The smooth 6-7 junior averaged more than 21 points a game for the Deacons last season and was a second-team All-ACC pick.
He’s highly thought of in the SEC. Harris was a first-team all-conference pick by the media in preseason.
Harris was not at his best Sunday, going 2-for-10 from the field in scoring 10 points.
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This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 9:22 PM.