The Duke basketball team barely hung on to its No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The bracket has been revealed, and Duke basketball knows its grueling path to a National Championship.
In the final Big Dance of head coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s career, the Blue Devils were slotted as the No. 2 seed in the West Region and were the final 2-seed in the Field of 68.
Many thought Duke should have been bounced to the 3-line as Tennessee, the SEC Champion and top No. 3 seed, should be moved up to the 2-line.
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Duke fell in the ACC Championship Game to Virginia Tech, which received an 11-seed, on Saturday night and likely caused its seeding to slip as the Blue Devils would potentially have to go through No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga to get to the Final Four.
Texas Tech was given the No. 3 seed in the region while Arkansas was slotted as the No. 4 seed.
Gonzaga takes the No. 1 seed in the West Region. pic.twitter.com/NOkxAdXzo7
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 13, 2022
Duke has not played in the NCAA Tournament since the 2018-19 season with Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish after the tournament was canceled in 2019-20 and the Blue Devils did not earn a bid in 2020-21.
Duke basketball could face familiar foes in NCAA Tournament
Duke will face No. 15 seed Cal State Fullerton on Friday in the Round of 64, and a matchup with No. 7 seed Michigan State could await in the Round of 32 on Sunday.
Michigan State, which will face Davidson in its first game in the tournament, knocked the Blue Devils out in the Elite Eight in their last NCAA Tournament appearance.
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Ironically, Mike Krzyzewski did not face his good friend Tom Izzo in his final season at the helm of the Blue Devils, but that could change in a matter of days.
Times and television networks have not been announced for the Round of 64, but it is confirmed that Duke will play on Friday in Greenville, South Carolina.