March Madness: Best bets to win the 2018 NCAA National Championship

Possibly the most talented team in the country, Duke is the one team that meets the criteria in each area. Don’t expect an early exit from the Blue Devils this year.

After suffering through the new bracket reveal format, one of the first potential eye-catching matchups viewers noticed was a sweet sixteen game between Duke and Michigan State.

After fixing some early season defensive problems Duke is a top ten team in KenPoms offensive and defensive efficiency rankings, coming in at third and seventh.

Grayson Allen, the lone senior on Duke’s roster this season, checks off two boxes for the Blue Devils.

Allen contributed 17.9 points per forty minutes this season, the lowest mark of his career.

However, he ultimately transformed this Duke team halfway through the season when he took over as the primary ball handler.

We know that Duke has a plethora of options, Marvin Bagley III and low post mate Wendell Carter Jr. make up one of the most dynamic freshman duos in recent memory, but when the game is on the line put the ball in familiar hands.

As a freshman in the 2015 title game against Wisconsin, Allen came off the bench to score sixteen in the Blue Devils win.

Duke has had their share of letdowns in March, and their path to San Antonio is daunting, but these Blue Devils have the makeup quintessential champion.