Duke Report – Final Bracketology: The Path Never Changed - March 9

And then the Blue Devils went down the road to Raleigh… and handled business.
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What was supposed to be a hostile, desperate environment at the Lenovo Center turned into another statement. NC State came out swinging early, fed off the crowd, and tried to make it uncomfortable for the No. 1 team in the country. But once Duke settled in, the Blue Devils took complete control and rolled to a 93–64 win to secure the outright ACC regular-season championship, their second straight. That’s not easy to do in this league..especially on the road when everyone is taking their best shot at you.

Cameron Boozer led the way with 26 points and nine rebounds, continuing one of the most consistent freshman seasons we’ve seen in Durham. Dame Sarr gave Duke a big lift early with 14 first-half points and three triples, and the ball movement was once again sharp with 21 assists on 32 made shots. Defensively, Duke smothered a Wolfpack team that came in shooting nearly 39% from three, holding them to just 24% from deep. In a building that was supposed to be rocking, the Blue Devils turned the second half into a quiet business trip and walked out as outright ACC champions.

And then came Saturday night in Cameron… rivalry edition.

No. 1 Duke closed the regular season the way you’re supposed to close it by beating North Carolina. The Blue Devils pulled away in the second half for a 76–61 win, finishing the year undefeated at home and extending the Cameron Indoor Stadium winning streak to 32 games. In a rivalry that always brings the emotion, Duke stayed composed early before taking full control after halftime with a defensive stretch that saw North Carolina go nearly 11 minutes with just one made basket in the half court.

Cameron Boozer once again looked like the best player on the floor, finishing with 26 points and 15 rebounds for his 17th double-double of the season. Maliq Brown delivered a huge Senior Night performance with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals, while Isaiah Evans knocked down three triples as Duke’s offense continued to stretch defenses. But the real difference was the defense and the glass. Duke dominated the boards 42–29 and held the Tar Heels nearly 20 points below their season average. Rivalry game. Senior Night. No. 1 team in the country. And Duke reminded everyone exactly why they are the No 1 team in the country. 

Duke Report – Final Bracketology – March 9

Yes… you’re reading that correctly.

This is my final Duke Report Bracketology before Selection Sunday.

And honestly? Once again, the only thing I needed to change on my graphic this week was the date.

From the very first time I posted this Bracketology weeks ago, I have never moved Duke from its projected path. And for this final version, I’m keeping the Blue Devils exactly where they’ve been the entire time:

🏀 Greenville ➡️ Washington, D.C. ➡️ Indianapolis

Look, at this point I’m not moving Duke from the Greenville pod or the D.C. regional path no matter what happens this week in Charlotte at the ACC Tournament.

The season speaks for itself.

Wins over teams currently ranked #3 Michigan, #5 Florida, #8 Michigan State, #13 Virginia, #14 Kansas, #17 North Carolina, #20 Arkansas, and #23 Tennessee (preseason). That’s a gauntlet of a schedule and a resume that stacks up with anyone in the country.

Because of that, I think Duke should remain the No. 1 seed in the East Region regardless of what happens in the ACC Tournament.

I had originally thought about doing one more Bracketology after the ACC Tournament, but this spectacular regular season run has me comfortable calling this my final projection a full week before Selection Sunday.

And if I’m wrong?

I’ll give you your money back.

Of course… this Bracketology has always been for fun, and the content is free anyway.

Here’s My Take on the Path

📍 Greenville Pod

Again, Duke just keeps winning.

Even if an early loss happened Thursday in the ACC Tournament (Duke is already the No. 1 seed with a double bye), I would still have them locked into Greenville. The regular season resume is elite.


🏟️ Washington, D.C.

Duke beat the then-No. 1 team in the country, Michigan, on February 21 on a neutral floor in Washington, D.C.

Since then?

The Blue Devils have done nothing but reinforce their case.

Wins over No. 13 Virginia, a dominant road performance at NC State to clinch the outright ACC regular-season title, and a rivalry win over No. 17 North Carolina at Cameron to close the regular season.

Now Duke sits at 29–2 and still the No. 1 team in the country heading into the ACC Tournament.

Right now, Duke doesn’t just “own” the East… they’ve created separation.

Eleven ranked wins.
The outright ACC regular-season championship.
And the No. 1 seed locked up in the ACC Tournament.

If the committee values elite wins, consistency, and performance against top competition, Duke’s resume stacks up with anyone in America.

This path has felt real for a while, and Duke just keeps winning.

And now?

It feels even more real as this is my final bracketology.


The Competition for #1 Seeds

Here’s how I see the top lines shaping up right now:

Midwest (Chicago): Michigan

Even with the loss to Duke, Michigan’s overall body of work keeps them firmly on the top line, especially after recent wins over No. 10 Illinois and No. 8 Michigan State this past Saturday.


West (San Jose): Arizona

That road win over Houston carries serious weight, and Arizona added more big wins recently with victories over No. 14 Kansas and No. 6 Iowa State. Right now they feel well positioned to stay out West.

South (Houston):  Well... now I have Florida here 

This is where the real debate has been living.

I had UConn here last week, but that loss to a 12–19 Marquette team definitely hurts.

Houston was right there in the rearview mirror as well… but those three losses in a row from February 16 through February 23 didn’t help their case either.

But Florida?

My goodness.

They are creeping onto that No. 1 seed line in a big way. That 111–77 demolition of Arkansas on February 28 definitely turned heads across the country.

And Florida just added another big win by beating Kentucky this past Saturday.

Yeah… this No. 1 seed could absolutely continue to flip as the conference tournaments get underway.

East (Washington, D.C.): Duke

With 11 ranked wins, the outright ACC regular season championship, and the No. 1 ranking in the country, this feels like Duke’s region to lose.

Here’s the deal.

Duke is 29 - 2, and one of those wins is over 25 - 6 Florida. So I don’t see Florida jumping Duke for the East Region.

Florida already has 6 losses. 

UConn is another team I thought could push for the East, but at 27 - 4, even if Duke dropped a game in the ACC Tournament they would likely still have the stronger overall resume.

That’s why, in my mind, Duke owns the East. 

Possible Teams in Greenville

So who else could land in the Greenville pod?

First, I have to start by admitting I was wrong in last week’s blog when I mentioned Florida possibly landing here.

I completely forgot about the Tampa pod, which makes far more sense geographically. Florida should land there.

North Carolina or Virginia could absolutely end up in Greenville, especially if either team makes a solid run in the ACC Tournament.

And hey… we know the NCAA selection committee loves a good storyline.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if a Tennessee State team led by Nolan Smith ended up as a No. 16 seed facing Jon Scheyer’s No. 1 seed Duke team.

But right now?

I’ve got Duke firmly locked into the Greenville pod.


Final Thoughts

The regular season is now in the books, and Duke finished it exactly the way you want heading into March.

The Blue Devils took care of business on the road in Raleigh to clinch the outright ACC regular season championship, then returned to Cameron Indoor Stadium and closed things out with a rivalry win over North Carolina while completing another undefeated season at home.

Now the focus shifts to the ACC Tournament, where Duke enters as the No. 1 seed.

This is my final Bracketology for Blue Devils Blog.

Enjoy the ACC Tournament… and hopefully I’ll see some of y’all in Greenville.
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Let the madness begin.