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CBS announces Duke, Arkansas to play 2025 Thanksgiving Classic game at United Center

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•about 10 hours
Duke Blue Devils vs. Kentucky Wildcats in the Champions Classic
Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer addresses the fans during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Arkansas and Duke have announced that they’ll meet on the hardwood in the Thanksgiving Classic during the 2025-26 basketball season. The game will be played in primetime on Nov. 7 at the United Center in Chicago. It will be carried on CBS at 8 p.m. ET. You can also stream the game via Paramount Plus.

Duke, which has put itself into position to earn a No. 1 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, will likely have some rebuilding to do. Cooper Flagg is widely considered an NBA lottery pick and could be the No. 1 overall selection.

Still, coach Jon Scheyer and his team will be confident going into the matchup. The Blue Devils are excited to take on Arkansas.

“I’m really excited to be back in Chicago and in the United Center with our team,” Scheyer said in a press release. “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to approach our schedule, and playing on Thanksgiving night on primetime TV is another great chance to showcase Duke Basketball on a natioanl stage against a great opponent. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Arkansas, meanwhile, has been in much more of a rebuilding mode under first-year coach John Calipari. Going into his second season, he should have a better handle on the roster.

For now, the Razorbacks are an NCAA Tournament bubble team. They’ll be looking to secure a berth in the Big Dance in the next week or two, playing a regular-season finale and then the SEC Tournament. Not quite the same position Duke finds itself in.

But whether the Hogs make the field or not, they’re also looking forward to next season’s opportunity. Not many programs get a crack at a historical blueblood like Duke.

“In what will be one of the most watched college basketball games in the last decade, we could not be more excited to be playing Thanksgiving Day against Duke on CBS again this season,” Calipari said. “This past year playing on Thanksgiving Day was a great experience and great exposure for our program, as well as all of college basketball.

“This will be an NCAA Tournament-caliber game that will show us exactly where our team is at that point in the season. These high-level games help prepare you for March. Duke has had an incredible season this year, and Jon Scheyer has done a great job taking the reins of that program. We are looking forward to the challenge in a highly coveted matchup.”