Duke’s preseason hype entering the 23-24 college basketball season was the highest since 2018 when they had the top recruiting class in the country, including generational talent Zion Williamson. Entering ranked #2 in the country, expectations for this team were exceedingly high. But after a rough start to the season, it looked like this team would disappoint. Now, they have won 8 in a row and will most likely vault back into the top 10 this week. Is this team starting to reach its potential, and can they compete for a National Title?
Is Duke starting to live up to their preseason hype?
Duke extended its winning streak to eight games on Saturday, beating Georgia Tech 84-79. It might not be the most impressive victory, but it meant a lot for the Blue Devils. The Yellow Jackets are one of the three losses Duke has this season, and avenging that loss could be a sign that something special is brewing in Durham.
After losing their second game of the year to Arizona, it was clear that problems from last year’s team persisted into this year. They were one of the hottest teams entering the 2023 NCAA Tournament, but ultimately had an early exit losing to Tennessee in the second round. The outcome of that game showed Duke was just not a tough enough team, they were outhustled and simply couldn’t handle Tennessee’s intensity.
The Arizona loss showed the same problems, and the hype for this team quickly died down. They then lost their first two road games of the year to fall to 5-3. This showed another problem that carried over from last year, not being able to play on the road. They went 4-6 on the road last year, and starting 0-2 this year to unimpressive teams caused many to believe expectations were far too high for this team.
But they have looked different on this winning streak. Players have stepped into their respective roles and are willing to do what is best for the team. They have also shown the grit and determination to win, begging the question, is Duke finally living up to their preseason hype?
New Opportunities for the Freshmen
In Duke’s loss at Georgia Tech in early December, starting guard Tyrese Proctor was injured in the first minute of the game. He did not return and would miss the next three games. This left a vacancy in the Blue Devils starting lineup, Tyrese Proctor was the main ball handler for them, and somebody would need to step up. You never want an injury, but this may have been the push Duke needed.
Duke had the second-ranked recruiting class this season but also returned nearly all of their scoring from last year. This led to some uncomfortable situations early in the season. Besides Kyle Filipowski, most players did not have a clear-cut role on the team. Talented Freshmen like Jared McCain and Caleb Foster can be the best players on the court if need be, but it looked like they didn’t want to step on the toes of veterans like Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor. Proctor’s injury allowed McCain to step into a bigger role and show off his shooting skills as Jeremy Roach took over the ball-handling responsibilities. Foster also stepped into the starting lineup and has played a bigger role.
Improvement from Veterans
However, the Freshman aren’t the only players that have stepped up, Mark Mitchell, who was struggling early in the year, has been much better in the last couple of weeks. He stopped shooting threes and started attacking the basket, a role he fits in much better. He broke his career-high two games in a row and was the Blue Devils best player. Filipowski has also gone from good to dominant in the last two games. He’s looking like the National Player of the Year candidate everyone expected him to be.
Proctor’s absence allowed the rest of the roster to be more comfortable in their new roles. Even though he is back now, he now comes off the bench and has also improved. Duke is now facing other injuries like Roach and Mitchell, but players have learned to play the role they have to and should be fine while they are out.
Determination to Win
The Duke’s most recent win against Georgia Tech also showed an important trait in the Blue Devils, grit and perseverance. Every team in college basketball, no matter how good, goes through some adversity. Just look at defending champ UConn, they were the definition of dominant the first two months of the season last year. They then went 3-6 in January and looked awful doing it. The Huskies got into the tournament as a 4-seed and proceeded to win every game by double digits on the way to winning their 5th championship. They persevered and learned from their struggles.
Duke can look like the best team in the country on any given night, but it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t have some grit and perseverance. They showed that they do on Saturday night. After falling by 10 early in the second half, it seemed like Georgia Tech would get Duke again. Falling down 10 to a team that has already beaten you would be demoralizing for most teams, but for Duke, it was an opportunity. They fought back, trading punch for punch, and managed to pull ahead in the final couple of minutes. Beating an 8-8 Georgia Tech team by five wouldn’t mean much to most teams, but it proved Duke can fight and compete, even under adverse circumstances. If Duke wants to prove the hype was warranted, they must continue to be determined as they were on Saturday night.
Can Duke Win a Title?
Duke came into the season expected to be a top competitor to win the National Title. In their first 8 games, it looked like Duke’s preseason hype was just a dream, but in their last 8 games, it looked like it could be a reality. With other top teams losing games this week, Duke looks as good as anybody in the country and is starting to live up to their full potential. If players like Jared McCain and Mark Mitchell continue to improve, and Kyle Filipowski plays like a National Player of the Year candidate, nothing is stopping the Blue Devils from competing for a championship.
