The Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team wrapped up the regular season with an 82-69 victory over North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday night.
Duke heads into the ACC Tournament with a 28-3 overall record and a dominant 19-1 mark in conference play, with their lone conference loss coming on the road against Clemson on February 8.
Barring any unexpected developments, Duke should be in the conversation for a No. 1 seed when Selection Sunday arrives on March 16. However, college sports analyst Danny Kanell explained why the Blue Devils might not secure that top seed.
“Duke is clearly the best team in the country. They have the best player, own the head-to-head over Auburn, and dominated their rival—unlike Auburn, who lost at home. They performed at their best when it mattered most. They should be the No. 1 seed, but probably won’t because of the season-long hype machine,” Kanell wrote on X.
Duke’s only losses this season have come against Kentucky, Kansas, and Clemson. Additionally, they have dropped just one game since Thanksgiving. Despite this, Kanell believes they are unlikely to land the top seed due to the narrative surrounding them all season.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi shared his latest bracketology update on Saturday night, projecting Auburn as the No. 1 overall seed while placing Duke as a No. 1 seed in the East Region.
The ACC Tournament kicks off on Tuesday, March 11, though Duke won’t take the court until Thursday. The Blue Devils will face the winner of the 8-9 matchup between Georgia Tech and Virginia.
Whether Duke secures a No. 1 seed remains to be seen, but it would be a surprising outcome if they don’t.