Michigan Vs Duke: michigan vs duke Sets Top-Ranked Wolverines for Capital Showcase
ANN ARBOR — The top-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team (25-1) will face No. 3 Duke (24-3) in a marquee nonconference meeting, a michigan vs duke matchup staged as the Edward Jones Capital Showcase presented by Bad Boy Mowers at Capital One Arena. Tipoff is set for 6: 30 p. m. on, with Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Kris Budden on the call, and both teams scheduled to be featured on 's College GameDay ahead of the contest.
Michigan Vs Duke: Capital Showcase Preview
Michigan steps out of conference play and heads to the nation's capital for the Edward Jones Capital Showcase presented by Bad Boy Mowers at Capital One Arena. The Wolverines enter the matchup 25-1 while Duke is 24-3. The game will air on with Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Kris Budden providing commentary, and both teams will be highlighted on 's College GameDay before tipoff.
College GameDay and Logistics
Michigan (2-2) makes its fifth College GameDay appearance. The program previously hosted College GameDay twice, in 2012 and 2015, and appeared twice on the road in 2013 and 2014. This Capital One Arena appearance will be Michigan's first College GameDay show at a neutral site.
Return to Washington, D. C. History
The Wolverines return to Washington, D. C., for the first time since 2021, when No. 6 U-M defeated Prairie View A& M 77-49 in the Coaches vs. Racism matchup. Michigan's last downtown D. C. game came during the 2017 Big Ten Tournament title run at the Verizon Center, now Capital One Arena, when the No. 8 seed won four games in four days after the team plane slid off the runway en route to the nation's capital.
History Against Duke, Past Meetings
Michigan meets Duke for the first time since Dec. 3, 2013 — a span of 12 years, two months and 18 days, or 4, 463 days. That ACC/Big Ten Challenge game at Cameron Indoor Stadium ended with No. 10 Duke defeating No. 22 Michigan 79-69. U-M's last win over Duke came on Dec. 6, 2008 — 17 years, two months and 15 days, or 6, 283 days. After falling in the 2K Sports Classic semifinal at Madison Square Garden, the Wolverines upset the fourth-ranked Blue Devils 73-71 in Ann Arbor less than two weeks later.
Michigan Season and Records
At 25-1, Michigan is producing one of the most dominant seasons in program history: 21 wins by 10 or more points, 13 by 20 or more, 10 by 30 or more, seven by 40 or more (a Big Ten record) and one by 50 or more. After a 14-0 start was snapped, Michigan has won 11 straight, including six road victories and three top-10 wins: No. 5 Nebraska (75-72), at No. 7 Michigan State (83-71) and at No. 7 Purdue (91-80).
Key Players and Statistical Notes
Michigan's "Big Three" are Yaxel Lendeborg (14. 4 ppg, 7. 5 rpg), Morez Johnson Jr. (13. 5 ppg, 7. 3 rpg) and Aday Mara (11. 2 ppg, 7. 1 rpg). Those three account for over 45 percent of the team's scoring and more than 55 percent of its rebounding. Mara has 71 blocks (2. 73 bpg), recording at least one block in every game and ranking third nationally with 22 multi-block games; his block total includes a career-high six vs. Penn State. Over his last four games Mara has added playmaking with 16 assists (4. 0 apg), including a career-best seven at Northwestern.
Other contributors: after six double-figure games in his first 20 contests, L. J. Cason has four in his last five, highlighted by a career-best 18 at Northwestern while shooting 58. 8 percent from the field and going 9-for-27 from three over that span. Trey McKenney has thrived in a sixth-man role with 18 double-figure games, a team-best 90. 5 percent at the free-throw line with 15 consecutive makes, and 43 three-pointers.
Michigan and Duke will meet on a neutral floor at Capital One Arena in a high-profile nonconference game that reunites the Wolverines with Washington, D. C., and brings College GameDay to a program making its fifth appearance. The matchup pairs two top teams — Michigan 25-1, Duke 24-3 — with tipoff at 6: 30 p. m. on and national commentators Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Kris Budden on the call.
