Duke-Michigan rematch scrapped, Texas Tech steps in at Madison Square Garden

One of the most anticipated nonconference matchups of the upcoming NCAA basketball season between Duke and reigning national champion Michigan has been called off because of broadcast rights issues.

Duke will instead face Texas Tech on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden, multiple media outlets, including ESPN, reported on Friday.

Michigan and Duke met for the first time in more than a decade last regular season, with the Blue Devils coming out on top 68-63 in the Feb. 21 matchup held at the home of the Washington Wizards.

The rematch was slated for Dec. 21 and was supposed to be streamed on Amazon Prime as part of Duke’s three-game deal. The game was initially set for Madison Square Garden and then moved to Loan Depot Park in Miami before its eventual cancellation.

The game has now returned to the iconic New York City venue and will instead feature Duke against Texas Tech — one of the two teams to beat the Blue Devils in the 2025-26 regular season.

Both Michigan and Duke earned No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament in 2026 and finished in the top five of the AP Top 25.

Duke was eliminated by UConn 73-72 in the Elite Eight. Michigan went on to win the NCAA title for the second time in program history after defeating UConn 69-63 in the title game.

Duke’s Cameron Boozer was selected No. 3 overall in the 2026 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. Three of Michigan’s starters, Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara, went on to be lottery picks.