Jay Bilas is one of college basketball's most respected analysts.
He's also a beloved former Duke player from the 1980s, a four-year starter who helped get the Blue Devils all the way to the 1986 National Championship Game.
But Bilas doesn't let his status as an alumnus interfere with his ability to be impartial when giving his opinion about the game. That much is readily obvious if you take a look at his bracket this year, which was posted on ESPN as it always is.
Bilas didn't pick Duke to win the national title. That's not all that controversial. There are other good teams out there, namely Michigan and Arizona, who are good enough to cut down the nets.
But Bilas didn't even pick the Blue Devils to make it to the Final Four!
He has Jon Scheyer's team getting knocked out of the Elite Eight by Michigan State in Washington, D.C.
Jay Bilas has Duke falling to Michigan State in the Elite Eight
If Duke faces off against Michigan State in the East Regional Final, it will be a rematch of a regular-season matchup in East Lansing, which was the site of one of Duke's best wins of the season. Back in December, the Blue Devils knocked off the Spartans by six in the Breslin Center, led by a monster effort from Cameron Boozer, who finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
About a potential rematch, Bilas writes:
"These two played in East Lansing earlier this season, with Duke winning 66-60. Michigan State has a great chance to avenge that loss. The Blue Devils would win a seven-game series, but this is only one. Go with Green."
Bilas doesn't specifically mention it, but perhaps a contributing factor is that Duke will have to try to take down Michigan State without point guard Caleb Foster. Foster scored 12 points in the regular-season meeting and did an excellent job defending Spartans star guard Jeremy Fears, who scored just six points and shot 0-of-10 from the floor.
That matchup will be a lot to ask of freshman Cayden Boozer, who enters the NCAA Tournament off back-to-back big-time performances in the ACC Tournament to help Duke capture the title.
Bilas may not have faith in his alma mater, but the Blue Devils will just have to use that as extra motivation.