Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Duke
November 02, 2026 | Men's Basketball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point men's basketball opens its 125th season on the road on Monday, heading to Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on the Duke University Blue Devils.
It will be the third time in three season that the Black Knights and the Blue Devils have faced off, with last year'd matchup taking placing inside Christl Arena, where Duke earned a 114-59 win. The game also broke the program record for the highest attended home game in Army men's basketball history (5,326).
The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. ET first-tip, and will broadcast live on ESPNU with Dave O'Brien and Jay Bilas on the call.
ARMY STORYLINES:
WHAT HAPPENED LAST SEASON – Army finished the 2025-26 season with an 11-21 overall record and a 5-13 record in Patriot League play. Army's wins outside league play included victories over FDU, Manhattan and Binghamton. The slate was highlighted by the team's 63-60 win over eventual 2026 NCAA Tournament qualifier from the America East, UMBC. The team also made program history during non-league play, with the team hosting Duke, on November 11, shattering the single-game attendance record with 5,326 fans packing into Christl Arena. In Patriot League play, the Black Knights' five wins included a regular season sweep over the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks, the eventual Patriot League Tournament champion and 2026 NCAA Tournament qualifier. Ryan Curry also received postseason honors, earning a spot on the Patriot League All-League Third Team and MWBA All-Met Honorable Mention. Tate Laczkowski was also named to the CSC Academic All-District team.
RETURNING FIREPOWER – Army West Point brings back 11 players from its 2025-26 roster, providing the Black Knights with a strong foundation of experience, leadership and offensive firepower heading into the new season. Senior captains Ryan Curry and Tate Laczkowski headline the returning group, alongside juniors Jacen Holloway and Kevin McCarthy. Curry looks to lead the charge once again after pacing Army with 13.3 points and 4.5 assists per game, while Holloway (10.8 ppg) and McCarthy (7.9 ppg) add proven scoring threats. Laczkowski brings a physical presence down low after leading the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg) and field goal percentage (53.7%). Juniors Dylan Murans, Brendon O'Keefe and Nnaemeka Ikechi also return, along with sophomores Dillon Watt, Dylan Benner and Jahaan Green. With a veteran core and plenty of returning talent, the Black Knights look to make their mark in the Patriot League this season.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK – Army West Point welcomes five freshmen to the Black Knights for the 2026-27 season, adding a combination of size, athleticism and young talent to the roster. Four newcomers arrive at West Point following a year at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS), including guards Deke Cooper Jr. (Atlanta, Ga.) and Patrick McDonough (Rockville, Md.), forward Henry Rasmussen (Haverford, Pa.) and 7-foot center Parker Henderson (Hobbs, N.M.). Joining the group is 6-foot-8 forward Michael Masini (Gig Harbor, Wash.), who comes to the Academy from Gig Harbor High School. With four players already familiar with the Army basketball program through USMAPS, the incoming class looks to make an immediate impact while adding depth and versatility to the Black Knights' lineup.
CHEF (RYAN) CURRY – Entering his senior season, Ryan Curry returns as the Black Knights' starting point guard after earning Patriot League All-League Third Team and All-Met Honorable Mention honors during the 2025-26 campaign. Curry led Army in scoring (13.3 ppg), assists (4.5 apg), steals (1.1 spg) and minutes played (33.9 mpg), while adding 4.1 rebounds per game. The Montgomery, N.J., native reached the 1,000-career-point milestone against Holy Cross on Jan. 14, becoming the 38th player in program history to accomplish the feat. Curry finished the season with 21 double-digit scoring performances, five games with 20 or more points and 14 games with at least five assists. He recorded a season-high 27 points against Holy Cross, tying his career-high with seven made three-pointers, while earning his first career double-double with 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in Army's overtime win at Lehigh. Curry also posted 24-point performances against Colgate and Boston U. and was named Patriot League Player of the Week on Dec. 29. The senior enters his final season as a three-year contributor and former Patriot League All-Rookie Team selection.
THE BOOGEYMAN – Jacen Holloway returns for his junior season following a breakout sophomore campaign in which he averaged 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Schwenksville, Pa., native appeared in 31 games, making 23 starts, while shooting 51.0 percent from the floor. Holloway finished the season with 17 double-digit scoring performances, including two games with 20 or more points. He recorded a career-high 22 points at Cornell, knocking down a career-best nine field goals, while adding 21-point performances against American and Lafayette. Holloway also tallied 19 points against Boston U., connecting on a career-best three shots from beyond the arc. After averaging just 2.6 points per game as a freshman, Holloway looks to build on his sophomore success as a key contributor for the Black Knights.
THE WALLET – Kevin McCarthy enters his junior season looking to build on a strong sophomore campaign that saw him average 7.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The West Chester, Pa., native started 29 of his 30 appearances, reaching double figures in 11 contests and knocking down three or more three-pointers in eight games, the second-most on the team. McCarthy delivered a career-best 21 points against Bucknell, connecting on five shots from beyond the arc while pulling down five rebounds. He also contributed 18 points against both Maritime and Gallaudet, sinking four three-pointers against the latter. McCarthy added 16 points and four made triples against Loyola Maryland. Following a significant jump in production from his freshman season, McCarthy returns as an important outside shooting presence for the Black Knights.
TATE ON THE BOARDS – Tate Laczkowski returns for his senior season as a key presence in the paint for the Black Knights after leading the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg), field goal percentage (53.7%) and blocks (15) during his junior campaign. The Dallas, Texas, native started 30 of Army's 32 games, averaging 5.2 points per contest while grabbing at least five rebounds in 17 outings. Laczkowski turned in a career-best 21-point performance against Bucknell, shooting 8-for-9 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range. He added 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals against Lehigh, while hauling in a career-high 13 rebounds at Holy Cross. The 6-foot-9 forward also reached double figures against Lehigh and Colgate, finishing with 11 points in each contest. Off the court, Laczkowski earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition, adding to his accomplishments heading into his final season at West Point.
History with Duke
- The Blue Devils lead the series, 14-2
- Current Streak: Duke, 10 wins
- Last Army win: Feb. 1939, 37-27
- Last Duke win: Nov. 11, 2025, 114-59
Scouting the Blue Devils
- Jon Scheyer begins his fifth season as head coach of the Blue Devils and his 14th season on the Duke coaching staff.
- In 2025-26, the Blue Devils made the program's 26th Elite Eight appearance, captured Duke's 24th ACC Tournament title, claimed the conference regular-season championship for the 22nd time and achieved a 35-win season for the second straight season with an overall record of 35-3
- Five players return from Duke's 2025-26 returns: Letterwinners Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr are joined by Sebastian Wilkins.
- Four of last season's top six scorers are back: Boozer, Foster, Ngongba and Sarr combined for 141 games, 99 starts, 1,131 points, 533 rebounds and 311 assists in 2025-26. Duke's top two scorers from a year ago, Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, were selected in the 2026 NBA Draft.
- Duke also adds nine newcomers: Transfers John Blackwell (Wisconsin), Drew Scharnowski (Belmont) and Jacob Theodosiou (Loyola Maryland) join freshmen Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Bryson Howard, Maxime Meyer, Deron Rippey Jr., Cameron Williams and Nick Arnold.
Follow Along
For complete coverage of Army West Point men's basketball, follow the Black Knights on X and Instagram at @ArmyWP_MBB and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com.
Army West Point Athletic Association, Inc. (AWPAA)
AWPAA is an IRS code 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established to execute the United States Military Academy's intercollegiate athletics program. AWPAA is led by a board of directors that provides guidance to the director of athletics, who serves as the primary advisor to the USMA Superintendent and the USMA leadership on all NCAA operations. The AWPAA mission is to recruit, educate, train and inspire leaders of character who are committed to the Army values through an extraordinary Division I athletic experience.
