The N&R’s Rob Daniels breaks down Duke’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament:
So for the sake of argument, let’s say Duke finishes 6-10 in the ACC and wins its final nonconference game, against St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. Here’s what the Devils’ resume would look like:
l A 20-11 overall record.
l An RPI in the 30s or low 40s.
l A record of 5-10 or 6-10 against the top 50.
l A record of 2-8 in the last 10 games.
That’s certainly not sterling. But consider these facts:
l Collectively, the final five teams admitted at-large in the past eight NCAA tournaments have won around 40 percent of their top 50 games — hardly a standard of excellence.
l No 20-win ACC team has been excluded since the field was expanded to 64.
l Duke has played the fourth-toughest schedule in the country. With at least four more games against the top 50, that ranking isn’t going to fall appreciably. Historically, the only way you play a top-10 schedule and fail to make the tournament is if you have a losing record or one barely above the .500 mark.
l They’re Duke, and they’re still a magnet for interest on both sides of the love-hate spectrum.
Get all that? I’m afraid too many do. I’m ACC ‘old school,’ meaning I can remember the days when you won the ACC Tournament or you went home. The subjectivity behind selections to the NCAA Tournament bothers me to this day. I recognize the realities (and money) behind March Madness, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Will I still watch? Yeah.
