Will this Duke basketball team send Mike Krzyzewski out with a sixth crown?
In what will be the last Duke basketball season for five-time national champ Mike Krzyzewski before righthand man Jon Scheyer takes the reins, the program hopes to bounce back from its subpar 13-11 campaign. Fortunately for the Duke Blue Devils, who begin the year at No. 9 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the roster is pretty stacked and balanced with a solid mix of experience and talent.
The projected regular rotation could consist of up to 10 players.
Four are part of the heralded freshman class: Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin, Trevor Keels, and Jaylen Blakes. Two are sophomores in Mark Williams and Jeremy Roach. Then there are the two co-captains in junior Wendell Moore and senior Joey Baker. Finally, the pair of grad transfers are Bates Jones and Theo John.
ALSO READ: 30 simple reasons Duke will win 30 games or more
Now that the season opener is only a little more than 24 hours away, it’s time to predict the final scores for every contest on the 2021-22 Blue Devil schedule. So here’s a complete look at every outing, one at a time, concluding with a projection of Duke’s postseason performance.
Game 1: Duke basketball versus Kentucky
The Duke Blue Devils will face the Kentucky Wildcats, who rank No. 10 to start the year, at 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesday as part of the Champions Classic in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
One could argue that the determining factor in Duke basketball’s success in 2021-22 is how the players respond to the added pressure, with this being Mike Krzyzewski’s swan song and all. Fortunately for the Blue Devils, though, the expectation of outperforming last season’s bunch isn’t too taxing in itself, not in light of the out-of-character dud that was 2020-21.
Judging solely by exhibition displays from Duke and Kentucky, some might expect the Blue Devils to steamroll the Wildcats right out of the gates. It’s hard to blame them when comparing the difference in highlights between Duke’s in-sync destruction of Winston-Salem State and Kentucky’s legit struggles against Miles College.
Others might think this Duke team has the firepower to replicate the instant 2018-19 explosion that featured Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones, who memorably silenced Kentucky to the tune of 118-84 in the Champions Classic.
Think again. Kentucky will be out for revenge against Duke with a different crop of five-star Wildcats, whose woes against Miles College probably taught them a thing or two. Meanwhile, John Calipari must be slyly strategizing to become the first to deliver Coach K a loss in his final season.
And while these Blue Devils have the potential to accomplish more than Zion & Friends, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing for their best version to wait until the season’s end. Nonetheless, they should manage to take care of business in retaining the program’s bragging rights over Kentucky for at least another year.
Predicted final score: Duke 92, Kentucky 82
The Blue Devils move to 1-0 overall on the season.
Game 2: Duke basketball versus Army
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Army Black Knights, unranked to start the year, at 7 p.m. ET Friday (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The battle is against Mike Krzyzewski’s alma mater, where he began as a head coach and remained for five seasons until taking over in Durham. Therefore, the Blue Devils could have some issues in dealing with the various distractions that might arise from the event’s symbolic significance and all.
So perhaps anticipate a sluggish or peculiar cold start for Duke basketball. However, the sheer talent advantages at every position should begin dictating the score at some point before halftime.
Although the Black Knights have won double-digit games in 15 consecutive seasons, they’ve never won 20 or more in that span either. However, as always seems to be the case, Army is likely to appear gritty and bright on both ends.
But they’ll be no match for the Blue Devils in the end. That said, one thing’s certain: Coach K will do everything in his power not to run up the score.
Predicted final score: Duke 86, Army 60
The Blue Devils improve to 2-0 overall on the season.
Game 3: Duke basketball versus Campbell
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Campbell Camels, unranked to start the year, on Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. ET (ACCNX) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Across the eight seasons thus far under head coach Kevin McGeehan, the Camels have become contenders in the Big South with an ample perennial supply of 3-point snipers.
Now, they enjoy the services of all eight men who averaged at least one make from downtown per game in their 2020-21 campaign, which saw them finish 17-10 overall and at No. 3 in the conference standings.
With all of the above in mind, if Campbell’s collective outside stroke heats up against the Blue Devils, the visitors may force Mike Krzyzewski to address and heighten his home team’s perimeter defense at halftime.
Predicted final score: Duke 90, Campbell 71
The Blue Devils improve to 3-0 overall on the season.
Game 4: Duke basketball versus Gardner-Webb
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, unranked to start the year, on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. ET (ACCNX) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Gardner-Webb boasts a decent collection of both outside shooters and interior forces, so they might well contend for a Big South title or at least finish among the top half in the standings.
Plus, it’s worth noting that the last time the Runnin’ Bulldogs played in Cameron, they came within 19 points of a 2013-14 Duke team that ranked No. 8 in the country at the time. That last of two all-time meetings between the programs — the eventual Duke national champs won the first in 2009-10 by 45 points — coincided with Tim Craft’s first season at the helm.
Craft is now entering his ninth season at Gardner-Webb but coming off only his second losing season (11-15). His group may put up a fight, but it will probably receive a Blue Devil knockout blow either right before or soon after halftime.
Predicted final score: Duke 86, Gardner-Webb 57
The Blue Devils improve to 4-0 overall on the season.
Game 5: Duke basketball versus Lafayette
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Lafayette Leopards, unranked to start the year, on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium. This game will be Duke’s first against Lafayette in the Mike Krzyzewski era, as the last and only time these two programs met was a 93-77 Blue Devil win in 1977.
Like the Blue Devils, the Leopards will enjoy the guidance of a longtime head coach in Fran O’Hanlon. Although he’s entering his 27th season at Lafayette and riding a two-year streak in finishing above .500 overall, the program hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2015. It is unlikely to do so this go-round either.
Also, unlike the Blue Devils, the Leopards lack depth in the post. Still, Lafayette’s 7-foot, 280-pound junior, Neal Quinn, earned an increased role as a sophomore in averaging 10.6 points and 5.5 boards. With his size and potential further gains in the offseason, he might hold on his own for a spell against Mark Williams, Paolo Banchero, or Theo John.
But it seems the Duke basketball big men should dominate down low when Quinn needs a breather or gets into foul trouble.
Predicted final score: Duke 105, Lafayette 61
The Blue Devils improve to 5-0 overall on the season.
Game 6: Duke basketball versus The Citadel
The Duke Blue Devils will host The Citadel Bulldogs, unranked to start the year, on Nov. 22 at 9 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
In his sixth season at the helm last go-round, Duggar Baucom finally led the Bulldogs to a winning record, albeit at only 13-12 overall. But a top veteran scorer, Kaiden Rice, decided to transfer to Georgetown with his extra year of eligibility, which the NCAA granted every 2020-21 athlete because of their pandemic-sapped seasons.
The Citadel roster includes no players 6-foot-10 or taller. And not a one tops 225 pounds.
In other words, it would be a shock if the Blue Devils, again on the backs of projected full-time starters Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams, do not seize control early in this bout by imposing their will with brute force in the paint.
Predicted final score: Duke 99, The Citadel 54
The Blue Devils improve to 6-0 overall on the season.
Game 7: Duke basketball versus Gonzaga
The Duke Blue Devils will face the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who rank No. 1 to start the year, on Nov. 26 at 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) in the Las Vegas Mobile Arena.
Duke and reigning national runner-up Gonzaga could arrive in Vegas with unblemished records. If that’s the case, then this game will likely feature two teams from the top five. Now, the Blue Devils would probably be underdogs in this scenario, but consider Mike Krzyzewski’s teams have fared well over his four-plus decades when seen as the slightly weaker of battling heavyweights.
No matter the records heading in, there is one certainty barring injuries: the matchup will pit the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects on the 247Sports 2021 Composite against one another. They are Gonzaga’s 7-foot big man Chet Holmgren and Duke basketball’s 6-foot-10, 250-pound phenom Paolo Banchero, respectively.
With this predicted blockbuster win, the Blue Devils move into the top spot in the AP Top 25 Poll — for now, anyway.
Predicted final score: Duke 78, Gonzaga 75
The Blue Devils improve to 7-0 overall on the season.
Game 8: Duke basketball at Ohio State
The Duke Blue Devils will play their first actual road game when they play the Ohio State Buckeyes, who rank No. 17 to start the year, on Nov. 30 at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) in the Schottenstein Center. The scheduled battle is part of the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
Seeing that this game takes place away from home in front of a potentially raucous opposing crowd, chances are some of the younger Blue Devils will struggle early and often against the Buckeyes.
And it’s also worth pointing out that Ohio State may have the perfect ingredients to hand Duke what would be its first loss of the season if these predictions hold. Those ingredients are the Buckeyes’ three experienced, versatile forwards in EJ Liddell, Kyle Young, and Justice Sueing, who could counter most punches from Paolo Banchero & Co.
Duke leads the all-time series, 4-3. But the last time the Blue Devils played the Buckeyes in Columbus, they left with a 22-point loss in 2011-12. In the three meetings this century, the two programs have rotated wins, with Ohio State now being due for a victory in this next one, though not by a double-digit margin this time.
Predicted final score: Ohio State 85, Duke 84 OT
The Blue Devils fall to 7-1 overall on the season.
Game 9: Duke basketball versus South Carolina State
The Duke Blue Devils will host the South Carolina State Bulldogs, unranked to start the year, on Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. EST (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
This game will feature a first-year head coach in Tony Madlock, who previously spent three seasons as an assistant under Penny Hardaway at Memphis and now has the task of igniting a program that went 1-17 last season. Against the Blue Devils, Madlock and his guys should receive a clinic from a 47th-and-final-year head coach in Mike Krzyzewski and his more talented gang.
From the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, South Carolina State played and lost to Duke in Durham seven times. The last three were by 50-plus points. The Bulldogs haven’t been back since.
Expect a similar result this time.
Predicted final score: Duke 110, South Carolina State 60
The Blue Devils improve to 8-1 overall on the season.
Game 10: Duke basketball versus Appalachian State
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Appalachian State Mountaineers, unranked to start the year, on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Mike Krzyzewski’s second Duke team (1981-82) lost to the Mountaineers the first time he faced them with the Blue Devils. Yet the Hall of Famer has since gotten revenge, seven times, trouncing Happy Appy by 30 points or more in each of their past five meetings, including the most recent victory, 93-58, in 2016-17.
That said, Appalachian State head coach Dustin Kerns is now in his third season in Boone, N.C., and is coming off the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 21 years. Add in the fact the Mountaineers return their four players who averaged double-digit points last season.
It might not be by a margin of 30, but the Blue Devils ought to take care of business at home in this one.
Predicted final score: Duke 91, Appalachian State 70
The Blue Devils improve to 9-1 overall on the season.
Game 11: Duke basketball versus Cleveland State
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Cleveland State Vikings, unranked to start the year, on Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Cleveland State is the only program on Duke’s 2021-22 schedule that the Blue Devils have never played.
As with Appalachian State, the Vikings have a third-year head coach, Dennis Gates, who guided his players to an NCAA Tournament last season. They finished 19-8 overall and first in the Horizon League with a 16-4 record in conference action.
The Vikings don’t feature a ton of size. Still, the entire starting cast is back for them, along with a handful of primary contributors off the bench.
Therefore, chances are Duke will encounter a significant test when this veteran-laden group visits Cameron for the first time in school history.
Predicted final score: Duke 80, Cleveland State 69
The Blue Devils improve to 10-1 overall on the season.
Game 12: Duke basketball versus Virginia Tech
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Virginia Tech Hokies, unranked to start the year, on Dec. 22 at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2) in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be the team’s first of the year in ACC play.
Fortunately for Mike Krzyzewski, he never again has to visit Blacksburg, where Duke has left with an L in four of its last five trips. No, the only scheduled meeting this time between the Blue Devils and Hokies is this one in the friendly confines of Cameron. Although there have been other close calls, Coach K has lost to Virginia Tech only once at home, a 69-67 defeat in 2006-07.
But entering his third season as the program’s head coach, Mike Young appears to have the Hokie ship heading in the right direction following their 15-7 campaign last season. That resulted in a final ranking at No. 25 in the AP Top 25 Poll and an NCAA Tournament bid.
They have a few key veterans back in town and a relatively strong freshman class. So another scare for Duke in Durham is undoubtedly possible.
Predicted final score: Duke 79, Virginia Tech 74
The Blue Devils improve to 11-1 overall (1-0 ACC) on the season.
Game 13: Duke basketball at Clemson
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Clemson Tigers, unranked to start the year, on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Littlejohn Coliseum.
Media members peg the Tigers to finish No. 11 in the ACC standings. That’s despite the program reaching as high as No. 12 in the AP Top 25 Poll last season and appearing in the NCAA Tournament for only the third time in head coach Brad Brownell’s first 11 years at the school.
Clemson’s only double-digit scorer from last season, Aamir Simms, is no longer around. But many other capable pieces are still in town for the Tigers, including a pair of sharpshooting junior guards in Al-Amir Dawes and Nick Honor.
Also, remember that Duke basketball has lost three of its last four games in Littlejohn. While the predicted outcome for the Blue Devils is a win here, it likely won’t come easy.
Predicted final score: Duke 73, Clemson 68
The Blue Devils improve to 12-1 overall (2-0 ACC) on the season.
Game 14: Duke basketball at Notre Dame
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 1 at 6 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Purcell Pavilion.
Following four straight lackluster campaigns without a single NCAA Tournament appearance, former Duke basketball assistant coach Mike Brey will be looking to right the ship during his 22nd season at the helm in South Bend, Ind.
Notre Dame sits just above NC State at No. 8 in the 2021-22 ACC Preseason Poll. But unlike many of their middle-of-the-pack counterparts in the conference, the Fighting Irish have a projected All-ACC weapon in senior guard Prentiss Hubb, who finished No. 1 among all ACC players in assists last season.
Moreover, remember that Notre Dame defeated Duke last season in Cameron Indoor Stadium and that Brey’s teams once beat Mike Krzyzewski’s guys in five out of six tries during the mid-2010s. This score should be pretty close.
Predicted final score: Duke 85, Notre Dame 80
The Blue Devils improve to 13-1 overall (3-0 ACC) on the season.
Game 15: Duke basketball versus Georgia Tech
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Sure, Georgia Tech sits at only No. 10 out of 15 programs in the 2021-22 ACC Preseason Poll. And that makes sense considering the Yellow Jackets lost their top two weapons from last season in 2021 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jose Alvarado and 2021 ACC Player of the Year Moses Wright.
Nevertheless, sixth-year Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner has a noticeable swagger these days — deservedly so. His gang beat Duke in Atlanta last season, won the 2021 ACC Tournament, and gave him his second straight winning season, overall and in conference play.
Furthermore, don’t forget that the Yellow Jackets still have the services of a potent, savvy guard in Michael Devoe, who heads the Preseason All-ACC Second Team, in addition to several other significant pieces to their successful 2020-21 campaign. Look for this to be the biggest upset the Blue Devils will suffer throughout the entire regular season.
Predicted final score: Georgia Tech 68, Duke 65
The Blue Devils fall to 13-2 overall (3-1 ACC) on the season.
Game 16: Duke basketball versus Miami
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Miami Hurricanes, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Miami’s 72-year-old head coach, Jim Larranaga, has beaten the Blue Devils in Cameron before. His Hurricanes have done so twice in the past decade. One instance was against the 2015 Duke team that went on to win the national title.
Regardless of the venue, Miami has knocked off Duke in six of the programs’ past 13 meetings, including the 77-75 thriller in Florida last season. In other words, any bragging rights out of Durham are now relatively quiet.
And with a member of the Preseason All-ACC First Team in junior playmaker Isaiah Wong, the Hurricanes could bounce back from their 10-17 campaign last season while giving the Blue Devils a run for their money in the two teams’ only scheduled meeting this season.
Predicted final score: Duke 77, Miami 71
The Blue Devils improve to 14-2 overall (4-1 ACC) on the season.
Game 17: Duke basketball at Wake Forest
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Duke has lost to Wake Forest only twice in the past 23 meetings. Heck, even the 2020-21 Blue Devils beat the Demon Deacons twice without much trouble.
However, the most recent loss in Winston-Salem, N.C., a 113-101 defeat in 2019-20 to a team that finished 13-18 overall, should serve as a reminder to Mike Krzyzewski and his guys that they should never take these Tobacco Road foes too lightly.
In the first year under Steve Forbes, Wake Forest tallied a 6-16 overall record last season and wound up No. 14 in the ACC standings. Although the Demon Deacons return their top 2020-21 scorer in senior point guard Daivien Williamson and welcome a skilled transfer in power forward Jake LaRavia, they shouldn’t boast enough talent to frighten Duke.
Predicted final score: Duke 81, Wake Forest 63
The Blue Devils improve to 15-2 overall (5-1 ACC) on the season.
Game 18: Duke basketball versus NC State
The Duke Blue Devils will host the NC State Wolfpack, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. ET (ABC) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
As has become routine in the five-year tenure of head coach Kevin Keatts, NC State has a reason for optimism while also presenting a reason for doubt. Chances are the Wolfpack will do what they’ve done pretty much this entire century: finish right around the middle of the pack in the ACC.
Remember, though, while hovering around the .500 mark in conference play over the years, NC State has managed to stun Duke on several occasions. Although Mike Krzyzewski’s teams have won the last two meetings, Keatts has beaten the Blue Devils in two out of five attempts.
And in all, NC State has been victorious in three of the last six contests between the Tobacco Road foes and should have enough talent to compete with any ACC squad this go-round, home or away. But in the end, expect the Wolfpack to finish where the conference media members predicted: at No. 9, also known as roughly the middle of the pack.
Predicted final score: Duke 80, NC State 68
The Blue Devils improve to 16-2 overall (6-1 ACC) on the season.
Game 19: Duke basketball at Florida State
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Florida State Seminoles, who rank No. 20 to start the year, on Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN) in the Tucker Center.
Florida State sits behind Duke at No. 2 in the 2021-22 ACC Preseason Poll. The Seminoles also sit behind Duke at No. 2 in the ACC regarding the conference’s incoming recruiting classes, per the 247Sports 2021 Team Rankings. The influx of talent includes five-star shooting guard Matthew Cleveland and Kentucky transfer Cam’Ron Fletcher, a former 2020 four-star guard.
As for Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton, the 73-year-old trails Mike Krzyzewski by only one year in age. And over the years, he’s built Florida State into a perennial power in the ACC.
So it would be no surprise at all to see his Seminoles take down the Blue Devils in Tallahassee after losing to them the last time in the Tucker Center when former Duke one-and-done Cam Reddish’s 3-pointer was the difference for the Blue Devils in 2018-19.
Predicted final score: Florida State 84, Duke 81
The Blue Devils fall to 16-3 overall (6-2 ACC) on the season.
Game 20: Duke basketball versus Syracuse
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Syracuse Orange, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 22 at noon ET (ESPN2) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Syracuse sits at No. 7 in the 2021-22 ACC Preseason Poll. And that’s despite senior guard Buddy Boeheim, son of 76-year-old head coach Jim Boeheim, receiving the most votes of the five players on the Preseason All-ACC First Team, including the Preseason ACC Player of the Year in Duke freshman Paolo Banchero.
So long as Duke can contain Boeheim and Syracuse’s other pure shooters from deep, Mike Krzyzewski should get the win against his longtime friend, at least in the first of the storied programs’ two scheduled matchups this season.
Simply put, the Orange may not have quite enough skill down low to slow down the likes of Banchero, Mark Williams, and Theo John as the game progresses.
Predicted final score: Duke 81, Syracuse 71
The Blue Devils improve to 17-3 overall (7-2 ACC) on the season.
Game 21: Duke basketball versus Clemson
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Clemson Tigers on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Again, Clemson is no pushover this season, despite the seemingly reserved optimism among the ACC media. And Brad Brownell is now among the longest-tenured head coaches in the league, meaning he’s had plenty of chances to study Mike Krzyzewski’s schemes and whatnot.
With that in mind, consider that Brownell has bested Krzyzewski three times. That’s not too shabby. However, none of those games took place in Cameron. So with all things considered, including the fact that the Tigers are without a single projected All-ACC performer of any kind, it would be a bit of a shock to see these Blue Devils lose to them at home.
Instead, as we’re about to see here in an upcoming string of slides, this Duke basketball team could be approaching the beginning stages of its most impressive stretch of the regular season.
Predicted final score: Duke 88, Clemson 77
The Blue Devils improve to 18-3 overall (8-2 ACC) on the season.
Game 22: Duke basketball at Louisville
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Louisville Cardinals, unranked to start the year, on Jan. 29 at noon ET (ESPN2) in the KFC Yum! Center.
Louisville returns several promising players from last season, notably three chiseled, aggressive forwards in Jae’Lyn Withers, Samuell Williamson, and Malik Williams. Yes, they could hold their own against Duke’s frontcourt and conceivably force Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams into early foul trouble.
Plus, against the Blue Devils, the Cardinals should have revenge on their minds.
After all, their loss to Duke in the 2021 ACC Tournament, where Mark Williams came out of his shell with 23 points and 19 rebounds for the Blue Devils, might’ve cost them a trip to the Big Dance. Also worth noting, although Louisville has since beaten a visiting Duke basketball team, the 2018-19 Blue Devils’ epic comeback win in the KFC Yum! Center may warrant repeated revenge.
Predicted final score: Louisville 91, Duke 84
The Blue Devils fall to 18-4 overall (8-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 23: Duke basketball at UNC
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the UNC Tar Heels, who rank No. 19 to start the year, on Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN) in the Dean E. Smith Center.
In some ways, a win at UNC during Mike Krzyzewski’s last hurrah would be even sweeter than the Round 2 of college basketball’s greatest rivalry, which takes place in Durham one month later. After all, the trove of Duke basketball highlights from the Coach K era isn’t complete without the most unforgettable Blue Devil performances to stun all those Tar Heel faces in Chapel Hill.
Robert Brickey. Chris Duhon. Austin Rivers. Tre Jones. Wendell Moore.
Who will be the hero this year? Well, you can’t spell “Paolo Banchero” with the word “hero”; in fact, those four letters appear in order at the end of his surname. So for that reason only, the prediction here is quite simple: the Blue Devils will relish in the projected top NBA lottery pick’s sorcery across the game’s waning minutes while making Dean Dome patrons wail once again.
Predicted final score: Duke 81, UNC 79
The Blue Devils improve to 19-4 overall (9-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 24: Duke basketball versus Virginia
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Virginia Cavaliers, who rank No. 25 to start the year, on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Cavaliers will likely rely on backcourt weapons, particularly their two returning perimeter starters in senior point guard Kihei Clark and sophomore shooting guard Reece Beekman.
But the concerns about a lack of depth and firepower in the paint are probably responsible for Virginia coming in behind Duke, Florida State, and UNC, respectively, in the 2021-22 ACC Preseason Poll.
That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see 6-foot-6, 245-pound power forward Jayden Gardner make an impact for Virginia right away after transferring from East Carolina, where he averaged 18.0 points and 8.7 rebounds across three seasons. Still, the Blue Devils should have the advantage over the Cavaliers, at least in this first of two scheduled meetings.
Predicted final score: Duke 74, Virginia 64
The Blue Devils improve to 20-4 overall (10-3 ACC) on the season
Game 25: Duke basketball at Boston College
The Duke Blue Devils will play the Boston College Eagles, unranked to start the year, on Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. ET (ACCN) in Conte Forum.
There is talk of reasons for optimism almost every year in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Nevertheless, the Eagles have pretty much remained ACC cellar-dwellers across the past decade.
Now, though, Boston College has a new leader in Earl Grant, who spent the past seven seasons building College of Charleston into a respectable threat. His arrival follows seven lackluster campaigns under Jim Christian, who led the program to only one winning season at 19-16 in 2017-18, which just so happened to be the last time it beat Duke.
While Grant may well begin to guide his Eagles in the right direction, he’ll have to do so this season with none of Boston College’s three double-digit scorers from last season.
Predicted final score: Duke 81, Boston College 68
The Blue Devils improve to 21-4 overall (11-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 26: Duke basketball versus Wake Forest
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Again, as noted for this season’s first bout against Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons are probably at least a year away from enjoying the necessary artillery to hang with a team that has as many presumed studs as Duke. And since this matchup will be the third to last for Mike Krzyzewski at home, the Blue Devils may benefit from the crowd’s growing energy and emotions.
Furthermore, keep in mind that Wake hasn’t topped Duke in Cameron since 1996-97. It seems doubtful that Coach K and his crew will allow the streak to end this go-round.
No, this game might be the Blue Devils’ biggest ACC blowout win of the season as they gear up for a rather daunting final stretch.
Predicted final score: Duke 100, Wake Forest 71
The Blue Devils improve to 22-4 overall (12-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 27: Duke basketball versus Florida State
The Duke Blue Devils will host the Florida State Seminoles on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
As alluded to in the preview of their first matchup here, the Seminoles will need strong play from their newcomers to remain in the AP Top 25 Poll and contend for the top spot in the ACC standings. After all, their top three scorers from last season, MJ Walker, Raiquan Gray, and Scottie Barnes, are no longer in Tallahassee.
But if there is one thing Duke can count on from Florida State every time, it’s that the Seminoles will be ultra-aggressive in a bruiser-like fashion while trying to force the Blue Devils out of their comfort zone. Perhaps that is Leonard Hamilton’s signature as a head coach.
In Hamilton’s final regular-season meeting against Mike Krzyzewski, though, his young Seminoles may have a tough time contending with all the Duke basketball bruisers when paired with the Cameron Crazies.
Predicted final score: Duke 80, Florida State 70
The Blue Devils improve to 23-4 overall (13-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 28: Duke basketball at Virginia
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Virginia Cavaliers on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) in John Paul Jones Arena.
Overall, Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke basketball teams have performed relatively well against Tony Bennett’s vaunted pack-line defense at Virginia. In the 16 meetings between the Blue Devils and Cavaliers since Bennett took over in 2009-10, Krzyzewski has suffered only four losses (once at home, once in the ACC Tournament, and twice in Charlottesville).
That seems impressive, considering the Cavaliers have finished No. 1 in the ACC standings five times under Bennett while Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils haven’t done so once during that span.
With this predicted season sweep over Virginia, Coach K would finish 14-4 against the potential top-dog ACC coach next year, Tony Bennett.
Predicted final score: Duke 68, Virginia 63
The Blue Devils improve to 24-4 overall (14-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 29: Duke basketball at Syracuse
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Syracuse Orange on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN) in the Carrier Dome.
Barring a meeting in either the ACC Tournament or NCAA Tournament, this game will mark Mike Krzyzewski’s final bout against Jim Boeheim. The two Hall of Famers squared off 15 times before, dating back to top-ranked Syracuse’s 78-76 win over No. 6 Duke in December 1989.
Coach K holds the all-time lead over Boeheim with nine wins to only six losses. So unless the two were to face each other twice this postseason, there’s no chance for Boeheim to win the all-time head-to-head against Krzyzewski.
And staying in line with this current string of positivity for the Blue Devils at this juncture in the season, the prediction here is that there’s no chance Krzyzewski loses what will at least be the last regular-season battle against Boeheim.
Predicted final score: Duke 78, Syracuse 62
The Blue Devils improve to 25-4 overall (15-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 30: Duke basketball at Pitt
The Duke Blue Devils will play at the Pitt Panthers, unranked to start the year, on March 1 at 8 p.m. ET (ACCN) in the Petersen Events Center.
Last season, Pitt head coach Jeff Capel, who once played and then coached under Mike Krzyzewski in Durham, became the first former Blue Devil ever to defeat the legend. He did so despite those Panthers finishing 10-12 overall and No. 12 in the ACC standings at 6-10 in conference play.
And like this year’s game, that matchup took place at Pitt.
But Capel and his Panthers no longer have their top three scorers from 2020-21 in Justin Champagnie, Au’Diese Toney, and Xavier Johnson. No, Pitt’s growth will be a season-long project, one that ought not to result in a repeat victory over Duke.
Predicted final score: Duke 88, Pitt 75
The Blue Devils improve to 26-4 overall (16-3 ACC) on the season.
Game 31: Duke basketball versus North Carolina
The Duke Blue Devils will host the UNC Tar Heels on March 5 at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be the team’s last of the regular season and Mike Krzyzewski’s last in front of the Cameron Crazies.
Imagine the ridicule the Blue Devils will draw should they lose to their Tobacco Road archrivals in Coach K’s final home game. Talk about added pressure to win — mind you, in front of fans who may have mortgaged their houses to get a ticket. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels have less to lose in this sense yet something so sweet for them to gain: one eternal bragging right.
Now, factoring in that arguably unfair weight on the Duke players’ shoulders, it’s the prediction here that Dukies everywhere will be ill beyond belief at the end.
Just wait, though, for these dejected Blue Devils would still have time to ensure that their legendary leader has the ultimate last laugh before his retirement at season’s end. With that in mind, recognize that the lessons from this forecasted bitter defeat might pay great dividends for Duke in the weeks to follow.
Predicted final score: UNC 88, Duke 82
The Blue Devils fall to 26-5 overall (16-4 ACC) on the season and enter the ACC Tournament as the No. 2 seed.
Duke basketball in the ACC Tournament
Winning the ACC Tournament doesn’t always foretell glory in the NCAA Tournament. Vice versa, losing in the postseason conference showdown doesn’t mean the Duke basketball team won’t cut down nets at the Final Four in April.
This year’s edition will take place in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center from March 8 through 12.
As has been the case on occasion throughout Mike Krzyzewski’s tenure, the Blue Devils may have a few bumps and bruises at this juncture in their campaign. On that note, they might benefit from the bit of extra rest heading into the Big Dance that would result from a loss a day or two in advance of Selection Sunday.
And an extra day to prepare for the heart of March is what we predict Duke will get due to a fiery attack from the reigning ACC Tournament champs, Georgia Tech. The second loss of the season to the Yellow Jackets and resulting early exit will perhaps provide some extra motivation as Coach K and his squad slip from a No. 1 seed after dropping two out of their last three contests.
ACC Tournament prediction: Duke wins its first game before falling to Georgia Tech, 81-79, in the ACC Tournament Semifinals.
The Blue Devils enter the NCAA Tournament with a 27-6 overall record and a No. 2 seed.
Duke basketball in the NCAA Tournament
Selection Sunday takes place on March 13. And then this year’s NCAA Tournament will begin on March 15 before ending with one team still standing on April 4 in New Orleans.
If the predictions from the past couple of slides turn out to be accurate, then the Duke basketball players would arrive at the Big Dance with a sizeable chip on their shoulders. And that could be a good thing. Yes, with a sufficient arsenal to win the whole shebang and slightly lightened pressure from not being a No. 1 seed, it all might be just what the doctor ordered for these hungry Dukies.
Plus, keep in mind that Mike Krzyzewski is seemingly due for another April confetti party, given his average of roughly one every seven seasons since arriving in Durham from West Point as the program’s new head coach for the 1980-81 campaign. It will have been seven years from the last.
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Furthermore, superstitious folks might feel optimistic about Duke’s chances this go-round after seeing Coach K rotate between odd and even years in compiling his five national titles (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015) over the past three decades.
Odd. Even. Odd. Even. Odd. Even in 2022? Indeed, for anything else would seem odd.
Now, rather than forecast the opponents and the specific magic that might play out along the way for the Blue Devils, we’ll leave all that up to the basketball gods — or the fans’ imaginations — to figure out.
Final prediction: Mike Krzyzewski retires with a 33-6 overall record in his last season and a sixth national title to his name.
Should these predictions hold, the result would be a final “One Shining Moment” for the game’s all-time wins leader — at 1,203 when the Kount stops.