Duke slips to a No. 3-seed in Joe Lunardi's latest bracket projection
Duke is a No. 3 seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracket projection, which ESPN released on Tuesday morning.
It’s a bit of a surprising drop, as the Blue Devils went 2-0 this week with wins over Wake Forest and Florida State. However, they weren’t as impressive as Texas Tech over the past week.
The Red Raiders picked up a pair of ranked wins, including a road victory at No. 20 Texas.
According to Lunardi’s notes, Duke or Villanova would surpass Texas Tech if it drops a game to Oklahoma on Tuesday night.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) February 22, 2022
Duke’s losses to ACC opposition earlier this season are likely what is holding it back in seeding discussions. It has dropped games to non-NCAA Tournament teams like Virginia and Florida State in conference play.
Still, the Blue Devils are — on paper — one of the most talented teams in the country. They likely have at least four future NBA Draft picks in their starting lineup, including a contender to go No. 1 overall in Paolo Banchero.
Duke also still has an opportunity to improve its résumé. The Blue Devils have three Quad 2 games remaining and then will be heavily favored to win the ACC Tournament in early March.
Duke plays at Virginia on Wednesday.