Since Jon Scheyer took over as the head coach, Duke basketball has consistently made further runs in March. Does that mean a National Championship in 2026?
For years, Duke basketball and Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski were synonymous. When Jon Scheyer took over, and the Blue Devils got knocked out in the round of 32 in year one, there were almost immediately groans from the fanbase. But since then, Duke has made it to the Elite 8 and Final Four in back-to-back seasons.
Duke is the top overall seed in this tournament and, despite some key injuries, seems to be in good shape for another deep run. But with a tough region full of National Championship-winning coaches, is this really the year?
How they got there:
As the one seed in the ACC Tournament, Duke surely didn’t back down. They won three games in three days and got better as the tournament went on, beating Florida State by 1, Clemson by 12, and Virginia by 14. They now enter the NCAA Tournament on a 10-game winning streak.
And here’s the craziest part about Duke – their neutral court resume, which includes wins over Arkansas, Kansas, Virginia, Clemson, Texas, and Florida State. The lone loss? Texas Tech, by a single point.
In fact, both of Duke’s losses were by one possession, with North Carolina winning at home on a buzzer-beater. So literally, if a couple of shots go Duke’s way, they’re sitting here undefeated.
But we still have to play the March Madness games, and there were a few games that were close calls. It’s now up to Duke to back up its historic season.
General information:
Team: Duke
Location: Durham, N.C.
Record: 32-2 (17-1)
Head Coach: Jon Scheyer (4th season overall, all at Duke)
What to know about Duke basketball:
If you’re going to be 32-2 and play in the ACC, you’ve got to be a darn good basketball team. Duke is exactly that, in case you couldn’t tell.
The Blue Devils are led by Cameron Boozer, who has a say to be named National Player of the Year. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron averages 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, serving as one of the best all-around players in college basketball.
While Boozer is the star of this Duke team, Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, and Caleb Foster are all key contributors offensively. Of course, Foster won’t play in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, or potentially further down the road. Ngongba is also day-to-day.
But further down this lineup is where Duke is best. Guys like Maliq Brown, Dame Sarr, Cayden Boozer, and Nikolas Khamenia might not be box score stuffers, but they help make for a deep, talented, and tough team to play against.
One of the biggest things to know about this Duke basketball is quite literally how big they are. No rotation player is shorter than 6-foot-4, and that would be Cayden Boozer, who is also listed at 205 pounds. The Blue Devils are extremely skilled, but they will also bring physicality to the court.
Statistically, Duke is one of the best defensive teams in the country, but you shouldn’t overlook their offense. They do a lot of damage inside the arc and average roughly 17 assists per game. Duke might not be a top three-point shooting team, but they do have guys who can hit from outside.
There’s really no knock on the Blue Devils, so to beat them, you have to be at your absolute best.
NCAA Tournament prediction for Duke basketball: Sweet 16 Exit
Seed: 1
After reading my preview, you’re probably thinking, “How does this lead to a Sweet 16 exit?”
Well, I’m going off my own bracket prediction, where I believe St. John’s gets past the Blue Devils. Zuby Ejiofor’s physicality could be the toughest matchup Cameron Boozer’s seen all year, and when the Johnnies are firing, they are one of the most lethal teams in the country.
Of course, that’s just one matchup, and overall, Duke is a Final Four team. But I’m sticking with my gut here!