The Duke basketball team was given an unfair seeing in the NCAA Tournament.
It was a strange NCAA Tournament Selection Show for the Duke basketball program after winning the ACC Tournament less than 24 hours prior.
The Blue Devils were given a No. 5 seed in the East Region.
Virginia, the team Duke beat in the ACC Championship, is a No. 4 seed and Miami, the team that lost to the Blue Devils in the tournament semifinal is also a No. 5 seed.
Duke is the highest rated team in the ACC in a majority of the NCAA Tournament metrics such as NET, KenPom, BPI, Sagarin, KPI, and strength of record.
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The Blue Devils should’ve been regular season co-champs if not for a blown call against Virginia, which the ACC admitted was wrongly administered by the officiating crew, and the team won the conference tournament.
Not to mention, the CBS graphics crew originally had Greensboro, North Carolina on the bracket when it seemed like Duke’s name would be called only to change it to Orlando, Florida seconds prior to the announcement.
All of that still led to the Blue Devils getting a date with No. 12 seed Oral Roberts on Thursday.
Duke basketball with familiar foes in East Region
Purdue is the top seed in the East Region and a rematch could await with Duke should the teams advance to the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden.
The Boilermakers topped the Blue Devils, 75-56, on November 27 in the championship game of the Phil Knight Invitational.
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Marquette, who just won the Big East Tournament at The Garden, is the No. 2 seed in the region while Kansas State earned the No. 3 seed.
Duke could see No. 4 seed Tennessee in the Round of 32, should both teams advance, but both teams will have challenges in the opening round as the Volunteers play Louisiana-Lafayette.
Kentucky (No. 6 seed) and Michigan State (No. 7 seed) are also in the region but the Blue Devils would not have to worry about either rival unless meeting in the Elite Eight.
Times have not been announced for Duke’s matchup with Oral Roberts on Thursday.