Duke-Michigan game in Miami called off; Blue Devils will instead face Texas Tech at MSG on Dec. 21 - CBS Sports

What the report says

CBS Sports reports that a planned Duke-Michigan men’s basketball game for Dec. 21 in Miami has been canceled, and Duke is now expected to play Texas Tech that night at Madison Square Garden. According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, the Duke-Michigan matchup had been considered for loanDepot Park, the Miami Marlins’ stadium, after earlier plans to hold it in New York became tangled in broadcast-rights issues involving the Big Ten’s television partners and Amazon Prime Video.

The article says Duke and Michigan had continued exploring alternatives after coaches Jon Scheyer and Dusty May sought to keep the game alive. May, then Michigan’s coach, reportedly helped push the Miami stadium option through a relationship with Marlins ownership. CBS Sports reports the situation changed after May left college basketball for the NBA, and ongoing broadcast complications contributed to the schools recently deciding not to proceed.

Duke then turned to Texas Tech, a familiar opponent. The teams met at Madison Square Garden last December, when Texas Tech beat Duke 82-81 in one of Duke’s few early-season setbacks. CBS Sports says contracts for the new Dec. 21 game are still being finalized, but the involved parties are aligned on staging it in Midtown Manhattan.

The change matters because it reshapes a major nonconference showcase close to Christmas. CBS Sports notes MSG could host a high-profile run that weekend, including Kansas-Ohio State, North Carolina-Kentucky, UConn-Virginia and Duke-Texas Tech. Duke’s broader schedule also includes Amazon-linked games against UConn in Las Vegas and Gonzaga in Detroit. Michigan has not yet announced a replacement opponent, though CBS reports a backup plan is being pursued.