2. Duke Blue Devils
Record: 11-1 (0-0 ACC)
Last Week: No. 2
No change here. Duke has not played since Dec. 20 and therefore they did nothing to move up the rankings. With this said, though, putting Duke at No. 2 seems criminal. They have been clearly one of the most impressive teams in the nation so far this season and if I could put them in a tie for first with the next team on this list (Hint: It’s Michigan), I would. The Blue Devils have just one loss so far this season (neutral-site against Gonzaga) and hold victories over Kentucky, Auburn, Indiana, Yale, and Texas Tech.
With conference play approaching, Duke will be must-watch television for every single game. Even if the Blue Devils are running their opponents out of the gym, the highlight reel potential of R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson is always worth watching. This team is as exciting as any other in recent years and every game is seemingly worth circling on the schedule.
There are so many elite teams in the ACC that Duke will certainly be challenged prior to the NCAA Tournament. Most notably, though, take note of Jan. 19 (home) and Feb. 9 (away), the two dates on which Duke will take on Virginia. Due to the youth of this roster, the Blue Devils should only get better as the season goes on and that is scary.