You’ve probably been clicking through your channel guide for the last ten minutes, wondering why the Blue Devils aren't popping up. Honestly, it’s frustrating. You see the "D" logo everywhere, but when you actually want to watch duke basketball on tv today, the screen is blank or showing a different ACC matchup.
Here is the deal: The Duke men's team isn't playing today, Thursday, January 15, 2026.
They just got done with a late-night battle out in Berkeley. If you're on the East Coast, that game technically ended in the early hours of this morning. Jon Scheyer’s squad took down California 71-56 in what was a pretty gritty performance for a team traveling across three time zones. Cameron Boozer was a beast, putting up 21 points and 13 boards. But because that game was a "Double Dark" tip-off (11 p.m. ET), most fans are waking up looking for the "today" game, not realizing the "today" game was actually "last night."
When is the next Duke game on TV?
If you were hoping for men's hoops, you have to wait until Saturday, January 17. They stay out West to face Stanford. That one will be on the ACC Network at 6 p.m. ET.
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However, if you just need your Duke fix right now, the Duke women's team is actually taking the floor today. They are hosting Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium. That game tips at 8 p.m. ET and you can find it on the ACC Network. Toby Fournier has been playing out of her mind lately, so it's worth the watch if you're a true Blue Devil.
The Men's Schedule and Channels (January 2026)
The schedule for the rest of the month is a bit of a maze. You can't just stick to ESPN anymore. Between the new ACC members and various TV contracts, you're going to be jumping between cable and streaming quite a bit.
- January 17 at Stanford: 6 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
- January 24 vs. Wake Forest: 5:45 p.m. ET on The CW. Yes, the channel that used to show Smallville is now a major player for Duke home games.
- January 26 vs. Louisville: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. This is a "Big Monday" showcase, so it’ll be the main national broadcast.
- January 31 at Virginia Tech: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Why finding Duke on TV is getting harder
It used to be simple. If Duke was playing, they were on ESPN or CBS. Period.
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Now? Not so much. The expansion of the ACC to include Cal and Stanford means we have these weird 11 p.m. starts that confuse everyone's "today" search. Plus, the ACC Network (ACCN) has taken over a huge chunk of the mid-tier games. If your cable provider doesn't carry ACCN, you’re basically locked out unless you use a streaming service like Fubo or YouTube TV.
Then there’s The CW. A lot of fans still don't realize the ACC moved a package of games there. If you have an old-school antenna, you can actually get these for free, which is a nice throwback, but it's an extra step to remember which Saturday games moved away from the ESPN family.
Watching without a cable box
Basically, if you’ve cut the cord, you need a plan. Most people go with Hulu + Live TV because it carries the ACC Network and the local channels (like your local CW or CBS affiliate) needed for the weekend afternoon games.
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Avoid the "free" streams you find on social media. They usually lag about two minutes behind the actual play, which means your phone will buzz with a score alert before you even see the shot go up. It ruins the whole experience. If you’re desperate, the ESPN App is your best friend, provided you have a login from a friend or family member.
What to watch for in the next matchup
When the men take on Stanford this Saturday, keep an eye on the fatigue factor. Berkeley to Palo Alto isn't a long drive, but a week-long West Coast road trip is a gauntlet for college kids.
- Cameron Boozer's Consistency: He's the frontrunner for ACC Rookie of the Year for a reason. He’s been the most reliable source of offense when the perimeter shots aren't falling.
- The Three-Point Slump: Against Cal, Duke shot 7-of-32 from deep. That's ugly. Isaiah Evans went 4-of-13. They need to find their rhythm at Maples Pavilion, or Stanford will hang around way longer than they should.
- Bench Depth: Watch how many minutes Khamenia and Ngongba get. In these road swings, Scheyer usually has to go deeper into the rotation to keep legs fresh.
Even though there isn't a men's game on the tube this second, the 2026 season is hitting that mid-January sprint where the standings actually start to matter. The Blue Devils are currently 16-1 and 5-0 in the conference, so the target on their back is massive.
If you’re trying to catch the Duke vs. Virginia women's game tonight, make sure your subscription for the ACC Network is active. For the men’s return to the screen on Saturday, set your DVR for 6 p.m. ET so you don’t miss the tip-off while searching for the right channel again. You can also follow the live stats on the GoDuke website if you're stuck at work or away from a television.
Check your local listings for The CW ahead of the Wake Forest game next week, as channel numbers for that network vary wildly by zip code. Staying ahead of the broadcast schedule is the only way to ensure you don't miss a single highlight of this 2026 run.