When No. 4 Duke steps onto the court at West Point on Tuesday night, it won’t just be another early-season road game — it’ll be a full-circle moment for one of college basketball’s greatest figures.
The Blue Devils’ matchup with Army is a heartfelt tribute to Mike Krzyzewski, the man who built Duke into a dynasty after getting his start as both a player and coach at the U.S. Military Academy.
For Krzyzewski, who’s now 78, the night promises to be emotional. Before tipoff, he’ll be honored in a special pregame ceremony — a fitting salute to his decades-long impact on the sport and the program that shaped him.
“We started having conversations about this game about two and a half years ago,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said. “It’s special to honor our veterans on Veterans Day — and also to honor Coach K, who’s going to come on the trip with us.”
Krzyzewski’s history at West Point runs deep. He played for the legendary Bob Knight from 1966 to 1969, then later returned to coach the Black Knights from 1975 to 1980, finishing with a 73–59 record. Those early years forged the foundation for the 42-season run that followed at Duke — one that produced five national championships and countless unforgettable moments.
Boozer Brothers Lead the Way
While much of the spotlight will be on Krzyzewski, Duke’s young core is stealing headlines of its own — especially freshman forward Cameron Boozer, who’s quickly living up to his superstar billing.
Through two games, Boozer is averaging 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists — already joining elite company among Duke’s long line of standout freshmen. In Saturday’s 95–54 blowout over Western Carolina, he poured in 25 points and eight rebounds, knocking down four threes in the process.
His twin brother, Cayden Boozer, also continues to impress. He tallied 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the same game — and is averaging 8.0 points, 5.0 boards, and 3.5 assists so far.
“Cayden’s first college three was assisted by his brother — and their dad, Carlos, was sitting right under the basket,” Scheyer said with a smile. “You have to take a second sometimes and appreciate how rare and special that is.”
Early Season Tune-Up
Duke improved to 2–0 behind balanced scoring — Patrick Ngongba and Maliq Brown each added 10 points — but Scheyer says there’s still room to grow.
“I thought we did some good things,” he said. “But there’s still a lot we have to clean up.”
Army (1–1) enters Tuesday’s game coming off an 83–76 loss to St. Thomas, where it connected on 11 three-pointers but couldn’t dig out of a 15-point halftime hole. Guards Kevin McCarthy and Jackson Furman are pacing the Black Knights with 16 points per game each, while Tate Laczkowski leads the team in rebounding (8.5 per game).
Full-Circle Moment
For Army head coach Kevin Kuwik, Tuesday’s matchup means more than just facing a top-ranked opponent — it’s a homecoming for a basketball legend.
“The way I look at it, he’s kind of the premier alum of Army basketball,” Kuwik told The Durham Herald-Sun. “We’ve had generals and accomplished people come through here, but when you talk about basketball and West Point — what Coach K’s done brings everything full circle.”
Duke’s present stars and its storied past will share the same court on Tuesday night — a reminder of how far the Blue Devils have come, and of the man whose journey started it all at West Point.
