Duke has spent much of the season playing like a legitimate national title contender, but according to ESPN, the Blue Devils still haven’t done quite enough to be in the race among the true championship favorites.
In its latest NCAA Tournament outlook, ESPN identified a small group of teams viewed as clear frontrunners to win it all, and Duke wasn’t included in that top tier. Instead, the Blue Devils were placed in the next category, which is teams capable of winning it all, but not yet viewed on the same level as the favorites.
That placement is interesting given Duke’s consistency and star power throughout the season, mainly behind freshman stud Cameron Boozer. While the Blue Devils are in the national conversation, ESPN believes there’s still a step to be taken before they can be considered the team to beat.
“The NCAA tournament is often defined by the performances of players who step up in high-stakes moments, which means success in March depends on talent capable of shifting into a higher gear,” ESPN wrote. “The teams in this tier certainly are not without their flaws, but they could close the gap between them and the national championship favorites if their respective stars reach their ceilings in the weeks ahead.”
Jon Scheyer’s group has shown championship-level stretches on both ends of the floor, and to me, outside of Arizona, it has been the best team in America.
What makes ESPN’s evaluation interesting is how strongly it highlighted Boozer’s individual season, despite putting Duke in a tier below, as national title teams typically have a star like him.
“Cameron Boozer is, at least statistically speaking, having a season that rivals those of the greatest Duke players over the past 25 years,” the outlet added. “His offensive rating is currently higher than the offensive ratings JJ Redick, Zion Williamson and Cooper Flagg had during their National Player of the Year campaigns.”
“Boozer is a household name, in part because his father Carlos Boozer helped Duke to a national title in 2001, but the rest of these teams are here without any of their own thanks to breakout performances by emerging stars.”
Games aren’t won in March Madness based on predictions, so ultimately, none of this really matters.