Duke Basketball: 10 predictions for Blue Devils’ 2017-18 season

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 11: The Duke Blue Devils hold up the trophy after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 75-69 in the championship game of the 2017 Men’s ACC Basketball Tournament at the Barclays Center on March 11, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

Blue Devils do not lose again until Feb. 8

One quick look at the Blue Devils’ schedule will reveal that they actually have it a lot easier than most of the top teams in college basketball.

Sure, they start out with a trial by fire with the Michigan State Spartans, but, after that, their most difficult games are on the road at Indiana (which should be a win), on the road against Miami (which should also be a win), and at home against Notre Dame (which should be a win).

They could easily win 18 straight before they face off with the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill on Feb. 8.

I’m not saying that they cannot beat North Carolina on the road, but I am saying that it is their second-most-likely loss on the season. The ACC is not as good from top to bottom as it usually is this season in my opinion, with the top being far heavier than the rest of the conference.

Duke and North Carolina are a class of their own, and Duke’s relatively winnable schedule means that they could, hypothetically, lose on Feb. 8 to North Carolina and Nov. 14 to Michigan State and still be considered the best team in the country.

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