Rematch in December

Duke and Butler will meet again next season, eight months after their classic NCAA national championship men’s basketball game. They will play Dec. 4 in what is sure to be a highly anticipated regular-season game at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The Blue Devils won their fourth NCAA title in Indianapolis on April 5 by beating the fan-favorite Bulldogs 61-59, as Gordon Hayward’s potential winning shot from half court bounced off the rim. “It’s an honor for our program to be invited to play in the Izod Center in December,” Butler coach Brad Stevens said. Both teams will go into the season among the favorites to return to the championship game. The game will be televised by ESPN.

– Associated Press