Duke basketball extends impressive streak, remains longest in country

The Duke basketball program has extended one of the longest streaks in the nation ahead of the start of the season.

Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke basketball program never take a season off or see a down season as a chance to rebuild.

The Blue Devils only reload, and that is the case once again entering the 2020-21 season.

Duke is ranked at No. 9 in the Preseason Associated Press Top-25 Poll, and being inside the Top-10 extends an impressive streak for Krzyzewski.

This season now marks the 25th consecutive year that Duke has reached the Associated Press Top-10 at least once during the season, which is the nation’s longest active streak.

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Duke is unmatched by its competitors with this streak as Kansas has been ranked inside the Top-10 in 15 consecutive years and Kentucky in 12 consecutive years.

However, the Blue Devils are not the favorite in the ACC, coming in second in the conference’s Preseason Poll behind the Virginia Cavaliers.

Virginia also ranks ahead of Duke in the AP Poll at No. 4, receiving one first-place vote.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are atop the poll to begin the season, followed by Baylor, Villanova, Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Duke, and Kentucky to round out the Top-10.

How many Top-25 teams will Duke basketball face?

As rankings change throughout the season, Duke will surely face tough competition in ACC play, but in its non-conference schedule, it will also have its selection of Top-25 teams.

Duke will host both No. 8 Illinois in the ACC vs. Big Ten Challenge and No. 13 Michigan State in the Champions Classic, but no fans will be in attendance this season at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

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Aside from Duke and Virginia, the only other two ACC teams that were ranked inside the Preseason AP-Top 25 were the North Carolina Tar Heels at No. 16 and defending ACC “Champion” Florida State Seminoles at No. 21.

The Blue Devils begin their season at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 25 when the program hosts Gardner-Webb.