When Sean Miller took over the Texas men’s basketball program in March after the firing of Rodney Terry, he inherited a handful of players that should play a critical role this season: guards Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver as well as forward Nic Codie.
But he also inherited a massive challenge in the season opener at the Dick Vital Invitational against No. 6 Duke, especially since Tuesday’s game will take place in the Blue Devils’ backyard at Spectrum Center.
Article continues below this ad
Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Jordan Pope (0) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Lassina Traore (23) smiles during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Declan Duru Jr. (4) takes a break during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Jordan Pope (0) laughs with guard Simeon Wilcher (7) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Basketball during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Nic Codie (10) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Tramon Mark (12) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward John Clark (9) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward John Clark (9) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Simeon Wilcher (7) shoots the ball during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Dailyn Swain (3) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Tramon Mark (12) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Nic Codie (10) defends during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Chendall Weaver (2) makes a pass during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Camden Heide (5) drives while doing a drill during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Chendall Weaver (2) catches a pass during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Simeon Wilcher (7) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Head Coach Sean Miller during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Brandon Taylor (44) dribbles during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) dribbles during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8), guard Dailyn Swain (3) , and guard Simeon Wilcher (7) take a break between drills during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Anthon McDermott (33) dribbles during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) warms up during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Lassina Traore (23) warms up during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Tramon Mark (12) warms up during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Camden Heide (5) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Lassina Traore (23) chats with guard Tramon Mark (12) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas forward Declan Duru Jr. (4) smiles during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Jordan Pope (0) shoots during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Jordan Pope (0) during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas guard Simeon Wilcher (7) laughs during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
“When you’re playing against the best, you hope it brings that out the best in you,” Miller said. “There’s also a side of me that wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Why in the world are we playing Duke?’ ”
Miller cracked a big smile after he said those words during a Zoom meeting Thursday with the local media. But the challenge presented by the Blue Devils is no joke: Duke seems poised for its customary run at a national championship while Miller must break in five or six new rotational players for a program that went 19-16 a year ago and just sneaked into the NCAA Tournament as a First Four squad.
But Miller says the lessons that his squad takes from Tuesday’s game will transcend the game’s result.
Article continues below this ad
TEXAS VS. NO. 6 DUKE
When/where: 7:45 p.m. Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C.
TV/radio: ESPN; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM
“I think for every player and every coach, you get excited about playing Duke simply because they’re the best of the best,” he said. “I do know this: We will learn a great deal about our team. It’s a great game to play when you think about playing them away from home. It has great meaning towards March, and there’ll be no doubt that when we get on the plane after the game, regardless of how it went, we’ll be better because of it. We’ll have learned true lessons on where we stand.”
Here’s what to know about Texas vs. Duke in the 2025-26 season opener for both squads:
MORE: Texas basketball coach Sean Miller embraces the global game in his first season leading Longhorns
Article continues below this ad
Texas Head Coach Sean Miller during a Texas Basketball practice at the facility, Oct. 30, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns: New faces join four returners
In addition to the four returning players expected to form part of the rotation, this year’s roster also includes transfers in wing Dailyn Swain (Xavier), forward Lassina Traore (Xavier), guard Simeon Wilcher (St. John’s), forward Camden Heide (Purdue) and post Matas Vokietaitis (Florida Atlantic). Forward Declan Duru Jr., a German international, joins forward John Clark as the freshmen who could see action.
Dick Vitale Invitational: Sean Miller praises event namesake
The Dick Vitale Invitational, a new men’s college basketball event named in honor of the longtime announcer and goodwill ambassador, will feature Vital on the ESPN broadcast. It’s also a chance to recognize Vital’s contributions to the game as well as his work battling pediatric cancer through the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation, Miller said.
Article continues below this ad
“When I think of Dick Vitale, I think it starts with what he’s done for pediatric cancer and the amount of money that he’s raised his event, which has become a signature event towards changing people’s lives,” Miller said. “It’s incredible what his foundation has done, what his event has done.
“And his passion for college basketball and his knowledge, he’s made the game better and really created an excitement with the fan base around the world. The impact is immense. I’m honored, and I think we are honored as a program, to be a part of this game.”
MORE: Longhorns, Sean Miller picked in middle of SEC pack in preseason poll
Duke Blue Devils: Loaded team welcomes star freshman
Unlike most squads in the power conferences, Duke didn’t rely on the portal to fill any roster gaps. Sure, the Blue Devils lost do-everything forward Cooper Flagg to the Dallas Mavericks, but they welcome back core players in guards Isaiah Evans and Evan Foster and forwards Maliq Brown and Patrick Ngongba II. Oh, and they had the nation’s top recruiting class headlined by five-star forward Cameron Boozer.
Article continues below this ad
Duke looks particularly stout up front, especially if Boozer flashes immediate star power. Miller will need Traore and Vokietaitis to hold up in the paint, and he hopes his veteran guards can play suffocating defense on a Duke backcourt that doesn’t yet have a proven go-to scorer.
MORE: Westlake recruit Bo Ogden joins list of Austin-area stars to sign with Longhorns
Texas vs. Duke prediction
Duke. The Longhorns have won 21 of their past 23 season openers, but they’ve never beaten Duke in five previous meetings. Something must give in Charlotte, so expect a veteran Duke squad to fend off Texas in what amounts to a home game in North Carolina’s largest city.
Article continues below this ad
Texas vs Duke time, how to watch
Where: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Article continues below this ad
TV/radio: ESPN / 1300 AM / 98.1 FM
