Duke Returns To Madison Square Garden To Continue The 2K Empire Classic As They Take On California

It was just sixteen days ago that Duke who then was the second ranked team in the country made their first trip to the Big Apple where they played at Madison Square Garden.

On Thursday night Duke who now is the top ranked team in the country and a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference will return to Madison Square Garden that is home to the New York Knicks of the NBA where they will continue the 2K Empire Classic where they will take on California who is a member of the Pac 12 Conference who like them is unbeaten.

Duke comes into the game with a record of 4-0 while California also comes into the game with a record of 4-0.

Have Duke and California ever met on the hardwood? The answer is yes.

Duke and Cal have met just three times previously, with the Blue Devils winning the last meeting -- March 21, 2010 in the NCAA Second Round in Jacksonville, Fla behind 20 points from Nolan Smith “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/19/mens-basketball-no-1-duke-faces-cal-thursday-in-empire-classic-at-msg.aspx who currently still has a place on the Duke bench just in a different capacity as he is the Director of Operations and Player Development. “according to https://goduke.com/sports/mens-basketball/coaches

As for Duke’s previous game,

Tre Jones scored a career-high 31 points and No. 2 Duke pulled away to beat pesky Georgia State 74-63 on Friday night. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/15/mens-basketball-jones-scores-31-no-2-duke-beats-georgia-state-74-63.aspx

Duke (4-0) overcame season-worst 34.2% shooting by outrebounding the Panthers 58-32, and the school says its 30 offensive rebounds were the most in coach Mike Krzyzewski's 40 seasons.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/15/mens-basketball-jones-scores-31-no-2-duke-beats-georgia-state-74-63.aspx

And yet, three nights after top-ranked Kentucky was upset at home by Evansville, the Blue Devils — 28 1/2-point favorites — were on upset alert against an unintimidated mid-major for longer than expected before they scratched out a sloppy victory, their 150th in a row at Cameron Indoor Stadium against nonconference opponents. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/15/mens-basketball-jones-scores-31-no-2-duke-beats-georgia-state-74-63.aspx

This one was tied at 40 with less than 17 minutes to play, before Jones took over. He scored 10 points during a 13-0 run that pushed the lead into double figures. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/15/mens-basketball-jones-scores-31-no-2-duke-beats-georgia-state-74-63.aspx

He put them ahead to stay with a 3-pointer and followed that with three layups through traffic. On the last one, he blew past Chris Clerkley while drawing contact from the Georgia State guard, then hit a free throw to put Duke up 51-40. After Wendell Moore Jr. capped the run with a stickback, the Panthers never got closer than nine the rest of the way. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/15/mens-basketball-jones-scores-31-no-2-duke-beats-georgia-state-74-63.aspx

Like Duke California also won their previous game as they topped Prairie View A &M.

- California men's basketball held on in a gritty contest against Prairie View A&M, winning 54-50 to improve to 4-0 to start the season. Cal is off to its best start since 2015-16.

Matt Bradley led all scorers with 16 points for his fourth consecutive double-figure outing, and Grant Anticevich scored in double figures for the second consecutive game after coming off a career-high 23 points on Friday. “according to https://calbears.com/news/2019/11/18/mens-basketball-cal-holds-off-prairie-view-54-50.aspx

Bradley scored eight of his 16 points late in the second half and the Bears remain unbeaten in coach Mark Fox's first season despite a sloppy game. California committed 22 turnovers and went seven minutes without scoring in the second half before holding on at the end.”according to https://calbears.com/news/2019/11/18/mens-basketball-cal-holds-off-prairie-view-54-50.aspx

Anticevich also added six rebounds for the Bears. His 3-pointer put Cal ahead 52-48 with 2:40 remaining. “according to https://calbears.com/news/2019/11/18/mens-basketball-cal-holds-off-prairie-view-54-50.aspx

Tip-off is set for 9:00pm from Madison Square Garden. The game will be televised on ESPN2.