3. Duke Blue Devils
Last Week: No. 3
When Duke is on their game, they are quite simply the most dominant team in the nation. Thanks to their seemingly endless scoring options and ridiculous defensive versatility, the Blue Devils have “title contender” written all over them. And while Duke may have fallen from the top spot in these rankings following their loss to Gonzaga, they resumed their prior dominance during this past week. In the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Duke eviscerated Indiana in just about every way en route to winning by a score of 90-69. Then, they simply toyed with Stetson in a ridiculous 64-point victory.
As expected, the freshman quartet of R.J. Barrett (23.1 points), Zion Williamson (20.8 points), Cam Reddish (16.4 points), and Tre Jones (9.0 points, 6.0 assists) is leading the way for head coach Mike Krzyzewski. With so much offensive firepower, it is nearly impossible to shut down Duke’s offense and their defense can be stifling considering the potential for switching. There have not been too many concerning observations regarding the Blue Devils so far but fans should hope that the team’s 64.8% shooting from the free throw line improves.
In regards to the rest of Duke’s non-conference schedule, one game has to be circled. Following a few mid-major contests, the Blue Devils will travel to Madison Square Garden to take on Texas Tech. If you forgot already, the Red Raiders came in at No. 11 in these rankings and this should prove to be another test for the young Blue Devils.