Duke Blue Devils
ACC (27-8, 11-7)
By Duke standards, last season was a disappointing trip to the NCAA Tournament. They snuck past UNC Wilmington and upset minded Yale in the first two rounds. Those were not easy games. The Blue Devils then lost 82-68 to Oregon in the Sweet Sixteen. This time around Coach Mike Krzyzewski and company will hope to repeat their 2015 tournament performance when they won the national championship.
Big Wins: 12/6 vs Florida (84-74), 2/9 North Carolina (86-78), 2/28 Florida State (75-70)
Bad Losses: 1/23 N.C. State (82-84), 2/22 at Syracuse (75-78), 2/25 at Miami FL (50-55)
Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
Why They Can Surprise:
Duke certainly has the talent to win it all. Grayson Allen has had another great season, averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds. He can score from everywhere on the floor and his defensive intensity is contagious. Luke Kennard has emerged as the team’s top scorer though. The 6-6 wing has really stepped up his outside shooting during his sophomore season and averages 20.1 points per game. He is not just a shooter though and will do plenty of damage attacking the basket. The other big time scorer is freshman forward Jayson Tatum. He can get up and down the floor in a hurry for a 6-8 forward and can stretch the defense with his ability to shoot the ball. Amile Jefferson and Harry Giles join Tatum in the frontcourt. Jefferson is a beast in the paint on both ends of the floor and Giles is brimming with potential despite an inconsistent debut season.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Duke can get into the habit of rushing shots and not sharing the ball. This team will score quite a few points and usually shoot well from the floor, but that is not always the case. At times the Blue Devils will force shots, usually three-pointers, and eventually that can catch up to them. Duke does not share the ball very well for how many points they score and sometimes that extra pass would lead to a much better shot than somebody trying to create something for themselves. Of course, with the talent Duke has, it is not always bad or ineffective for a player to take on a defender one-on-one.
Probable Starters:
Grayson Allen, Junior, Guard, 14.1 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.7 rpg
Luke Kennard, Sophomore, Guard, 20.1 ppg, 2.5 apg, 5.3 rpg
Matt Jones, Senior, Guard, 6.8 ppg, 2.8 apg
Jayson Tatum, Freshman, Forward, 16.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg
Amile Jefferson, Senior, Forward, 10.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.7 bpg
Key Role Players:
Frank Jackson, Freshman, Guard, 10.7 ppg, 1.6 apg
Harry Giles, Freshman, Forward, 4.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 80.5 (29th in nation, 4th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 69.1 (95, 5)
Field-Goal Percentage: 47.3 (40, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 43.5 (165, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.4 (86, 4)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 37.6 (64, 6)
Free-Throw Percentage: 75.4 (33, 3)
Rebound Margin: 3.8 (67, 4)
Assists Per Game: 13.5 (178, 13)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.5 (41, 5)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2016 NCAA Round of 64 win over North Carolina-Wilmington
2016 NCAA Round of 32 win over Yale
2016 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Oregon
2015 NCAA Round of 64 win over Robert Morris
2015 NCAA Round of 32 win over San Diego State
2015 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Utah
2015 NCAA Regional Final win over Gonzaga
2015 NCAA National Semifinal win over Michigan State
2015 NCAA National Final win over Wisconsin
2014 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Mercer
2013 NCAA Round of 64 win over Albany
2013 NCAA Round of 32 win over Creighton
2013 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Michigan State
2013 NCAA Regional Final loss to Louisville
2012 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Lehigh
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Hampton
2011 NCAA Round of 32 win over Michigan
2011 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Arizona
2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff
2010 NCAA Round of 32 win over California
2010 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Purdue
2010 NCAA Regional Final win over Baylor
2010 NCAA National Semifinal win over West Virginia
2010 NCAA National Final win over Butler
2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Binghamton
2009 NCAA Round of 32 win over Texas
2009 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Villanova
2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over Belmont
2008 NCAA Round of 32 loss to West Virginia
2007 NCAA Round of 64 loss to VCU
*all team stats through 3/5
