Duke Blue Devils release full 2012-13 basketball schedule

Finally, after months of releasing it in pieces, Duke has revealed the final version of its 2012-13 mens basketball schedule. Not much new here, but there are a few dates and opponents that hadn't previously been announced:

Fri., Nov. 9: Georgia State at Duke, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Tues., Nov. 13: Duke vs. Kentucky (Georgia Dome, Atlanta), TBD

Sun., Nov. 18: Florida Gulf Coast at Duke, 8 p.m., ESPNU

Tues., Nov. 22: Duke vs. Minnesota (Nassau. Bahamas), 3:30 p.m., AXS

Wed., Nov. 23: Duke vs. VCU/Memphis, (Nassau. Bahamas), 7 p.m., NBCS

Thurs., Nov. 24: Battle 4 Atlantis championship, 9:30 p.m., NBCS

Wed., Nov. 28: Ohio State at Duke, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Sat., Dec. 1: Delaware at Duke, TBD

Sat., Dec. 8: Duke vs. Temple (Izoid Center, New Jersey), 3:15 p.m., ESPN

Wed., Dec. 19: Cornell at Duke, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Thurs., Dec. 20: Elon at Duke, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Sat., Dec. 29: Santa Clara at Duke, noon, ESPN2

Wed., Jan. 2: Duke vs. Davidson (Charlotte), 7 p.m., ESPN2

Sat., Jan. 5: Wake Forest at Duke, 12 p.m., ESPNU

Tues., Jan. 8: Clemson at Duke, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Sat., Jan. 12: Duke at N.C. State, 12 p.m., ESPN

Thurs., Jan. 17: Georgia Tech at Duke, 9 p.m., ESPN/ESPN 2

Wed. Jan. 23: Duke at Miami, 7 p.m., ESPN

Sat., Jan. 26: Maryland at Duke, 1 p.m., CBS

Wed. Jan. 30: Duke at Wake Forest: 8 p.m., ACC Network

Sat., Feb. 2: Duke at Florida State, 2 p.m., ESPN

Thurs., Feb. 7: N.C. State at Duke, 9 p.m., ESPN

Sun., Feb 10: Duke at Boston College, 6 p.m., ESPNU

Wed., Feb. 13: North Carolina at Duke, 9 p.m., ESPN

Sat., Feb 16: Duke at Maryland, 6 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2

Thurs., Feb. 21: Duke at Virginia Tech, 9 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2

Sun. Feb. 24: Boston College at Duke, 2 p.m., ACC Network

Thurs., Feb. 28: Duke at Virginia, 9 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2

Sat., March 2: Miami at Duke, 6 p.m., ESPN

Tues., March 5: Virginia Tech at Duke, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Sat., March 9, Duke at North Carolina, 9 p.m., ESPN

First impressions: Duke will be tested right out of the gate. With http://blogs.newsobserver.com/dukenow/duke-releases-full-2012-13-basketball-schedule November matchups against Kentucky and Ohio State, and a potential date with Louisville looming in the Battle 4 Atlantis final, the Blue Devils will get an early season test against several programs expected to start the year in the top 10.

The five December games will provide a nice change-of-pace in between the tough beginning and conference play, and the rematch with Temple is intriguing. When No. 5 Duke lost 78-73 to unranked Temple Jan. 4, it ended several notable Blue Devils streaks, including 18 consecutive wins against Atlantic 10 opponents (dating back to 1996) and 49 straight wins against teams outside the traditional six power conferences. It also marked the fourth consecutive season that Duke had lost to an unranked nonconference opponent.

Toughest stretch: It could be that early season trio mentioned above. Looking at the ACC schedule, though, Duke was dealt a pretty favorable hand. There's just one Thursday-Saturday, three-day turnaround, and one instead of two dates with last year's ACC champion, Florida State.

That said, the Feb. 2 trip down to Tallahassee followed by a Feb. 7 home date against N.C. Central will probably be the toughest back-to-back conference challenge. The Feb. 10 trip up to Boston College is well-timed, giving Duke a tune-up before the first matchup against North Carolina.

Make up ground: Hosting Wake Forest and Clemson to open conference play should get the Blue Devils off on the right stretch. And the three games immediately following the Feb. 13 game with North Carolina—at Maryland, at Virginia Tech and against Boston College—is Duke's only three-game stretch against teams with losing conference records last year.

Lucky break: There will not be another Michael Snaer buzzer-beater this year in Cameron. Just one matchup with Florida State is a scheduling gift. The other one-game opponents—Georgia Tech, Clemson—are teams Duke probably wouldn't mind playing twice. Especially the Yellow Jackets.

Biggest quirk: The Feb. 13 game against the Tar Heels is the latest ever date for the first meeting between the two teams. That's right, going back all the way to 1920, Duke and UNC have never waited that long to play.

- Laura Keeley