1. Duke Blue Devils - 12-2 (4-0)
The Blue Devils had early close losses to Kentucky and Kansas and outside of that, have been perfect. That includes giving Auburn its only loss to this point, riding an eight-game win streak. After beating Georgia Tech by 26 points on the road, they took on Virginia Tech and SMU.
At home against the Hokies, Duke proved to have no issue, winning 88-65. Freshman star Cooper Flagg had 24 points, six assists, and four steals, while Sion James had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Six were in double figures overall, including Isaiah Evans and Mason Gillis, with 12 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench.
The big early ACC Basketball matchup was Duke going on the road at SMU, a game where the Mustangs could’ve introduced itself to the conference. But the Blue Devils had other plans, using its top-notch defense to suffocate the Mustangs to win 89-62. Once again, Flagg led the way with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel chipped in with 14 points apiece.
Duke is now at home for the next three games, where they’ll be big favorites. But their next challenge could be their toughest in league play, hosting the Pitt Panthers in a battle of ACC unbeatens. After that is Notre Dame, who proved they can take on quality rosters. However, Duke looks to be in a league of its own.