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Duke Basketball: Blue Devils ready to begin its title chase against NDSU

By Kevin Connelly

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play against the Florida State Seminoles during the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play against the Florida State Seminoles during the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The run to the National Championship starts today for the Duke Basketball team who will be facing North Dakota State in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.

It’s one again time to banner hunt, as the Duke Blue Devils will start its bid for a sixth NCAA Championship on Friday night against North Dakota State.

The Blue Devils were named the No. 1 overall seed after winning the ACC Tournament last weekend and having a healthy Zion Williamson return to the floor.

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North Dakota State had to defeat North Carolina Central in the First Four to even get to this point in the tournament, after winning the Summit League Championship.

Duke will get a familiar face back on the court on Friday night with the addition of Marques Bolden returning from an MCL sprain suffered in the opening minutes on March 9 against North Carolina.

Bolden did not play at all last week in the ACC Tournament.

In his media availability on Thursday afternoon, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said that Bolden would play, but he would not start and he does not know how many minutes he will play.

However, Duke still will not be fully healthy as the Blue Devils will be without junior Jack White who is dealing with a hamstring injury.

White suffered the injury in the second half last Saturday in the ACC Championship against Florida State and did not return to the game.

Coach K said that he does not know how long White would be out of the lineup, but he would be considered as ‘day-to-day’.

Now, it’s very clear that there is a major talent discrepancy between Duke and North Dakota State, but as everyone knows, anything can happen in the NCAA Tournament.

The only way that the Bison can hang with the Blue Devils is if NDSU are drilling its 3-point shots. Duke must consistently run North Dakota State off the 3-point line and force them to try to shoot the ball in the clogged paint.

As for Duke on offense, it’s simple, the Blue Devils do not need to take a 3-pointer in this game. There is not a player in the country that can stop Zion Williamson in the lane, and even if there is, do you think he’s on North Dakota State?

Pick and roll the Bison to death and easily roll into the Round of 32 on Sunday evening.

Duke and North Dakota State will tipoff on Friday night from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina at approximately 7:10pm ET and the game can be seen on CBS.

PREDICTION: Duke 97, North Dakota State 56

Stay tuned to Ball Durham on Twitter, @Ball_Durham, and here at our website, balldurham.com, for complete coverage of the Duke Blue Devils vs. the North Dakota State Bison. 

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