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Where Does Duke Fit Within The ACC?

By Chandler Ragsdale

Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) shoots the ball over North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Anthony Barber (12) in the second half during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Blue Devils won 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) shoots the ball over North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Anthony Barber (12) in the second half during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Blue Devils won 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The ACC is proving to be the best conference in college basketball, so that begs us to answer the question, “Where does Duke fit into the ACC?”

Last season, we saw seven teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference reach the NCAA tournament. This number may seem good, but it got even more impressive when six teams from the ACC made the sweet sixteen. They eventually had to start beating one another, which is how we ended up ultimately with UNC beating Syracuse to reach the National Championship game.

Not to mention Louisville couldn’t even be in the tournament due to being banned from postseason play last year. With all this being said, we are looking at another very successful season and postseason for the ACC yet again in 2017.

The ACC is proving to be the best conference in college basketball, so that begs us to answer the question, “Where does Duke fit into the ACC?”

Duke Blue Devils Basketball
Duke Blue Devils Basketball /

Duke Blue Devils Basketball

Duke is 6-4 as of right now in conference play, which seems mediocre at best, but they’re actually sixth in the ACC overall. This is possible since all of the teams in the ACC are always facing tough games due to the great teams within the conference.

Their four losses have come at the hands of N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Louisville. Two of these teams are currently nationally ranked (#4 Louisville and #14 Florida State), and all of these teams have a realistic potential to be in the NCAA tournament, with the only one maybe not getting in being N.C. State.

Each of these losses provided an opportunity for Duke to learn from them, and it seems as if Duke has accepted those lessons. As for Duke’s six wins, they have all been against quality competition, which is the thing that makes playing in the ACC so special.

The Blue Devils have now won three games in a row, and seem to be getting into a groove finally as a team.

By the time the ACC tournament begins, I believe that the Blue Devils will still look as a vintage Duke team and finish in the top five in regular season ACC play. Two tough games against the Tar Heels still remain on the schedule, and a road game in Charlottesville against Virginia.

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I like where this Duke team is heading, and since they face so much stiff competition in the ACC, they will fare very well in their matchups in the NCAA tournament.

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