Duke basketball right outside AP Top-25 entering final week of season

Duke basketball center Dereck Lively and guard Jacob Grandison (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
Duke basketball center Dereck Lively and guard Jacob Grandison (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

The Duke basketball team is right outside of the Top-25 entering the final week of the season. 

A four-game winning streak is still not enough to get the Duke basketball team ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll as the final week of the regular season begins.

The Blue Devils received the second most votes of teams not included in poll, only trailing Creighton, as the team has not been ranked since a 72-64 loss to Clemson on January 14.

Duke started to inch closer during its three game winning streak which featured victories over Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and North Carolina but losses to No. 19 Miami and No. 8 Virginia knocked the Blue Devils further away from the poll.

However, impressive wins against Notre Dame, Syracuse, Louisville, and Virginia Tech have Jon Scheyer’s team looking poised to make a deep run in the ACC Tournament and could be a sleeper during the NCAA Tournament.

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Three teams from the ACC as listed in the Top-25 Poll this week; No. 13 Virginia, No. 16 Miami, and No. 25 Pittsburgh.

All three programs are currently residing in the Top-3 in the conference standings as the Panthers have a stunning one game lead for the top seed in next week’s ACC Tournament.

Duke basketball hoping to continue momentum into postseason

Duke currently holds the No. 5 seed but only trails Clemson by one game for the coveted No. 4 seed, which would secure a double-bye.

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The Blue Devils are currently 3-4 this season against current teams ranked inside the Top-25.

Duke hosts North Carolina State on Tuesday night (7:00p.m. ET, ESPN) in the final regular season game inside Cameron Indoor Stadium before traveling to Chapel Hill for a rematch with the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday (6:30p.m. ET, ESPN) to close the regular season.