NCAA Basketball top 25 power rankings: Tennessee and Villanova rise, Alabama falls

2. Duke (11-1)

If there’s one thing we’ve learned this season, it’s that the ACC is not too great this season. Some of the usual powers are having down years early, though the same cannot be said for these Blue Devils. In Coach K’s final year, Duke is wasting no time standing out and certainly look like the only elite team in this year’s ACC race; a race they should win down the line.

Duke picked up an early win over Kentucky and then shocked a lot of people by upending Gonzaga in late November. A few days later, they picked up a tough road loss to a good Ohio State team, but have bounced back with four straight wins. For the most part, Duke has been taking care of inferior teams at home, but those neutral-site wins over Kentucky and Gonzaga loom large. Better yet, the Blue Devils already picked up their first ACC win this past week, knocking off Virginia Tech in a double-digit win.

Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore Jr. are quite the one-two punch for a Blue Devils team that boasts a dynamic offense. There have been nights when the outside shooting is falling and other nights when the Duke defense gets the job done. This team is well-rounded and has a great shot to run off a lot of wins as ACC play begins. Don’t be mistaken; the Blue Devils will still be challenged even if the ACC is down this season, but this could be a magical ending in Coach K’s final run.