Duke (and Arizona) give the people what they want

Arizona and Duke did college hoops fans a solid on Monday. And just think, if the new conference realignment rumors do shake out, we’ll have even more Wildcats-Devils games for years to come!

Let’s get to the news.

STARTING FIVE

1. Arizona, Duke rekindle a rivalry

The last time Duke scheduled a true non-conference road game was 2008. Or maybe 1997. Regardless, it seems the Devils will take a different approach under Jon Scheyer.

Lucky us.

Duke is hosting the first matchup, so it’s just easing into this road non-conference game thing. But this is one that should satisfy hoopheads and casuals. The two teams have only met nine times — Arizona won the most recent matchup, grabbing a 5-4 series lead — but they’re usually incredible games or meaningful games. Or both.

Two of the last three were NCAA tournament games. Derrick Williams torched Duke (32 points) and a hobbled Kyrie Irving in the 2011 Sweet 16. Coach K claimed his third national title after beating the ‘Cats in 2001. And the teams met three straight years from ‘89-’91; they split the first two, while the third was a 103-96 OT Arizona win.

What will the 2023 matchup look like? Duke already has an elite recruiting class coming in that year, and with any luck, Arizona will have Kerr Kriisa or Azuolas Tubelis stick around for their senior season.

Here’s hoping it’s Kriisa. Watching him in front of the Cameron Crazies would be must-see TV. Then again, maybe he’ll play in both?

2. Peach Jam, Day 2

Kentucky fans got a hint of what 2023-24 could be on Monday.

Justin Edwards went for 17 points and 13 rebounds, leading Team Final over CP3 and future Kentucky point guard Robert Dillingham, roughly a week before Edwards is expected to announce he’s headed to Lexington.

Dillingham struggled with his shot (3-12 from the field, 1-8 from deep) and had four turnovers. He and future South Carolina forward GG Jackson (15 points, 18 rebounds) are now 0-2 at Peach Jam.

Other quick notes:

• Simeon Wilcher missed just two shots and finished with 30 points in a win over the Family. The 2023 UNC recruit has City Rocks at 2-0 thus far.

• Future Duke point guard Jared McCain (2023) is averaging 29.5 points through two games. He and Team WhyNot bounced back with a 66-58 win on Tuesday over All Ohio.

• Reid Ducharme dropped 42 points, hitting 6 of 11 from beyond the arc, in an 88-60 win over Vegas Elite. The 4-star 2023 small forward didn’t make a shot in BABC’s opener on Sunday.

• Perhaps the most impressive performance Tuesday? Cooper Flagg’s 29-point, 12-rebound, 8-block day in a 3-point win over Expressions Elite. The 2025 prospect just got done helping Team USA to gold in the U17 World Cup, too. Ah, the boundless energy of the young.

3. Summer bummer for Clemson hoops

Good thing Clemson’s a football school.

Rising junior P.J. Hall will have surgery to repair a sublexed patella (kneecap), the school announced Monday. There’s no timetable for his return, but it’ll likely be at least four months of recovery time. Let’s turn to Clemson expert Terrence Oglesby for analysis:

Hall, a 6-10 rising junior, dealt with a foot fracture most of last season, yet still led the Tigers with 15.5 points per game. With a healthy Hall, Clemson could challenge for a Top 6 spot in the ACC. Without … Brad Brownell’s not thinking about that.

Since 2011, Clemson’s made three NCAA Tournaments under Brownell. They’ve finished sixth or better in the ACC four times. Maybe his best option is to hope Dabo’s squad ends up in the CFB Playoffs.

4. Who ya got?

Summer months are for sun, vacations, catching up on Stranger Things and calling friends/strangers morons discussing the upcoming season. Our Field of 68 social team (follow us on Twitter, Instagram & TikTok) spends each week prompting those shouting matches discussions with lists like this.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to send along some Zach Clemence info to our social team.

5. Big 12 to Pac-12: It’s not us, it’s you

At least, that’s how one side tells it. But isn’t that how it goes in any relationship?

Anyway, ESPN reported Monday night that Big 12 officials told Pac-12 officials that a conference merger is now off the table. From the story:

A potential merger had been reported ever since USC and UCLA bolted for the Big Ten, but given the number of teams and TV revenue involved, it was always going to be complicated (individual schools may still be wooed by the Big 12). Besides, there are plenty of reasons why the Pac-12 was lukewarm on a full merger — and it’s because the Pac-12 actually wants to hang with the ACC.

Some advice: Long-distance college relationships are complicated.

(Also, does that Arizona-Duke home-and-home series become a doubleheader?)

More links about realignment:

• SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey during SEC media days: NCAA Sports “cannot go on as we are.”

• The SEC isn’t going to mess with ACC grant-of-rights. Probably.

• So … if California Governor Gavin Newsom is mad about UCLA and USC leaving the Pac-12, what can he do about it?

BUY OR SELL

This is rhetorical, right?

It’s summer. We gotta create content for newsletters and podcasts. But this? This is the professor asking a one-question final exam and the question is “write your name.”

Houston’s about to spend part — if not most of the season — ranked No. 1. They’re big, tough, have an impact freshman in Jarace Walker and have perhaps the nation’s best point guard in Marcus Sasser. This is what a national title team looks like.

But I’ll let the guys have their say.

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THE FAST BREAK

Links as you crank that air conditioning.

• Baylor’s so stoked about Keyonte George, they’re thinking 2023 will be another No. 1 seed.

• Kevin Nickleberry is now a Georgetown assistant. What a marvel.

• Auburn will play in an Israel basketball tour next month.

• If Notre Dame gets big $$$ from NBC to extend its TV deal, the Big 12 could be “shoulder programming.”

• Utah State’s Max Shulga is averaging 16.6 points and 5.7 rebounds through 3 games at the FIBA U20 tourney.

• Incoming Wake Forest wing Bo Klintman is putting up 17.7 points and 5.7 assists in 3 games at the FIBA U20 (B) tourney.

• John Calipari’s among the five inductees into the 2022 Conference USA Hall of Fame class.

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