Duke doesn’t need to be perfect to win the ACC regular season, as no team will go undefeated, but some still love the Blue Devils' chances.
ESPN believes Duke is the team to beat in the ACC, predicting it to win the ACC regular season.
Jeff Borzello of ESPN pointed to how last year’s season went and how this year, it could be even better for them.
“Despite being comfortably the best team in the ACC last season, the Blue Devils needed to beat North Carolina in Chapel Hill on the final day of the regular season to clinch the outright title. The bottom half of the league was so poor that the top three teams -- Duke, Clemson and Louisville -- were able to stockpile wins and compile gaudy records, taking it down to the wire for the conference crown.
Duke isn't as good as it was last season, but it could win the conference by more games than one because of the parity and improved depth across the ACC. BPI gives the Blue Devils by far the best chance of winning the regular-season title, after Jon Scheyer's club took a big step by winning at Louisville on Tuesday. Duke has the most productive player in college basketball in Cameron Boozer, a slew of perimeter shotmakers surrounding him, depth and a blossoming point guard in Caleb Foster. The Blue Devils might not be national title favorites like a year ago, but they're still the class of the ACC,” he wrote.
Last season’s ACC race stayed tight, but not because Duke struggled, but because the league is always very good. The top teams will win and that will be the case once again this winter and spring.
Duke may not look as imposing as it did a year ago, but the path in front of it is still there, especially if Cameron Boozer continues to do what he’s done, as he’s arguably been the best freshman in America.
Duke’s next challenge will be on Saturday when it takes on SMU at home. SMU has been a decent team, scoring 97 points against UNC last weekend.