Duke Basketball: Blue Devils only fall one spot after two blowout results

Duke basketball center Vernon Carey Jr. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Duke basketball center Vernon Carey Jr. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The Duke basketball team dropped only one spot in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll after a chaotic week that saw the Blue Devils experience two blowout results.

Duke lost by 22 points on Wednesday on the road to NC State and then won by 24 points at home against Virginia Tech on Saturday.

That, combined with several other top teams losing around the country, caused the Blue Devils to only drop from No. 6 to No. 7 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll, as the Kansas Jayhawks are the new No. 1 team after a win over Baylor.

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The Bears dropped to No. 2, followed by Gonzaga, Dayton, and San Diego State to round out the Top-5.

Florida State rose up to No. 6 while Kentucky, Maryland, and Creighton follow Duke and round out the Top-10 this week.

While the AP Poll truly holds no weight, the NCAA Selection Committee released its Top-16 seeds a handful of weeks ago, and the Blue Devils were slated as a No. 2 seed in the East Region.

Duke had not lost a game since the committee released its projected seeding, but with losses by Baylor, Gonzaga, San Diego State, and Maryland this week it’s very unclear where the Blue Devils currently stand in regards to the NCAA Tournament.

Many bracketologists have Duke as a No. 2 seed, but the Blue Devils are spread throughout different regions, while getting placed in the East is very important for Duke, as the region plays the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 at Madison Square Garden.

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At 23-4 overall and 13-3 in the ACC, Duke is currently second in the conference, but the Blue Devils still have a chance to become the No. 1 seed entering the ACC Tournament.

Mike Krzyzewski’s team will hit the road once again for two games this week, facing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Tuesday and the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday night, before closing the regular season with two games at home the following week.