There are arenas that host games, and then there are arenas that quietly become part of a program’s identity. For Duke basketball, Madison Square Garden has long been more than just a neutral floor in the middle of New York City — it’s a place where history seems to meet the present, where freshmen announce themselves, legends leave their mark, and the blue and white often feel right at home. As the Blue Devils prepare to return once again, it’s worth looking back at how “The World’s Most Famous Arena” became such a familiar stage for one of college basketball’s most storied programs.
Duke men’s basketball will play its 62nd game at Madison Square Garden Saturday when the Blue Devils face Texas Tech. Ahead of the matchup, the Blue Zone looks back at the program’s storied history with the famous arena:
After taking a quick pitstop at home in Cameron Indoor Stadium to defeat Lipscomb, Duke will next travel to what could be called its second home of Madison Square Garden to face off against No. 19 Texas Tech. Last season, the Blue Devils played their 60th game at the arena, making the midtown New York City venue the most played-in NBA arena in Duke basketball history.
Since the current Madison Square Garden first opened in 1968, Duke boasts a 43-18 record and has won nine of its last 10 matchups — which includes a current nine-game winning streak — including two earlier games in 2025 alone. The last time the Blue Devils lost in the arena was back in 2018, falling to St. John’s in a closely-contested battle.
Duke played its first-ever NCAA tournament game in New York in what was also the school’s first trip to the original Madison Square Garden in 1955. Five years later in 1960, after capturing the program’s first ACC championship title, the Blue Devils finally earned their first NCAA tournament win under first-year head coach Vic Bubas in a surprising upset against Princeton, the Ivy League Champions. Duke also played in the last college doubleheader game held at the old Madison Square Garden location on February 8, 1968, walking away with a comfortable 78-54 victory over Southern Illinois. Hardly a month later, the Blue Devils made their debut in the new MSG, picking up another win in the 1968 National Invitation Tournament against Oklahoma City.
Though many things have changed since those early games in New York, Father Time has still been kind to Duke’s winning ways at the Garden’s current location. “Cameron North” — as Blue Devil fans affectionately call the arena — has hosted pivotal moments in more-recent program basketball history. Mike Krzyzewski became the winningest coach in NCAA history with a 74-69 win over Michigan State in Madison Square Garden, surpassing the record set by his former mentor Bob Knight with 903 wins. A few years later in 2015, Krzyzewski earned his 1,000th career win at the Garden as Duke narrowly defeated St. John’s, 77-68.
Lately, freshmen have led the way in powering the Blue Devils to victory in the Garden, and many young Duke players consider it a rite of passage to play a game in the arena, a true “welcome to Duke moment.” In 2021, freshmen Trevor Keels and Paolo Banchero combined for 47 points as the Blue Devils powered past Kentucky in the opening game of Krzyzewski’s final season. Two seasons ago, Jared McCain made his Garden debut to the tune of 7-for-11 shooting from the field and a 50% clip from beyond the arc in a 21-point outing to help Duke to a 78-70 victory over Baylor.
Just a few months ago in the 2024-25 season, the Blue Devils delivered Illinois its largest defeat in program history and earned their largest margin of victory at the Garden with a 110-67 thumping of the Fighting Illini. 61 of Duke’s points came from freshmen Isaiah Evans, Cooper Flagg, Kon Kneuppel and Khaman Maluach.
This year’s squad has already made its mark in “The World’s Most Famous Arena” with a marquee match-up against then-No. 24 Kansas. Cameron Boozer secured his second-consecutive double-double, leading Duke past the Jayhawks with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
The first time the Blue Devils took on the Red Raiders in program history came in 2018 at none other than MSG. Led by freshman phenom Zion Williamson, Duke spoiled Texas Tech’s unbeaten start to the season in a gritty 69-58 victory fueled by a second-half surge from the Blue Devils.
Duke will be looking for a similar victory Saturday, while the Red Raiders will look to hand the Blue Devils their first loss of the season and Jon Scheyer’s first loss at the Garden as a head coach.
Madison Square Garden holds a special energy for the fans clad in blue and white. When Duke fans come to their feet for player introductions, the place can feel more like a home game than a neutral site contest. The Blue Devils hope their legacy of excellence in the Garden will continue Saturday night.
