NCAA Basketball: 10 teams most likely to win 2022 NCAA Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 05: (L-R) MaCio Teague #31, Jackson Moffatt #13, Jared Butler #12, Matthew Mayer #24 and Mark Paterson #35 of the Baylor Bears dance on the court after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86-70 in the National Championship game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 05, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Tournament Mike Krzyzewski Duke Blue Devils (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

3. Duke Blue Devils

This is Coach K’s swan song, unless he decides to go all Tom Brady and come back. That seems unlikely at this point, however, considering Duke already has another head coach in place for next season.

It feels like there are only two ways his tenure can end in Durham: with an incredible flame-out early in the NCAA Tournament or with his first national title since 2015 (which is only a long time in Duke years). There’s no in-between.

While this Duke team doesn’t have the collective talent of years past, it does have one of the best individual talents in school history in future lottery draft pick Paolo Banchero. The freshman forward is averaging 17 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. This team will probably go as far as Banchero is able to carry them.

That’s not to say Banchero is alone in this. Wendell Moore Jr. has come into his own during his junior season, averaging 13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. AJ Griffin is an elite shooter, hitting 40.7 percent of his threes. Mark Williams is a monster inside, averaging 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. Freshman Trevor Keels is also having a big year with 11.8 points per game.

Not only is Duke one of the best scoring teams in the nation, it’s also one of the cleanest, too. Their 1.652 assist-to-turnover ratio is one of the best in the country, ranking second in the sport.

After the Blue Devils likely blow out CS Fullerton, Coach K could square up with Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans or Davidson in the Second Round. Texas Tech potentially awaits in the Sweet Sixteen, while Gonzaga looms in the Elite Eight.

Not many teams can stand between Duke and a storybook ending for its legendary coach. While Duke may be a polarizing program, there aren’t many better narratives than seeing Coach K go out a champion.

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