Let’s begin with the obvious: there is no 2012 Kentucky this March.
College Basketball lacks a truly great team this season, and there are about a dozen schools that could make a claim for #1 seeds in March.
So, more than ever, while rankings are mostly meaningless, they do get publicized every night; they do brainwash casual fans who don’t follow college basketball until February or March; and they therefore do matter since in five weeks four teams will receive top seeds for March Madness 2013.
And as usual, the Duke Blue Devils positioned themselves well by cleverly scheduling their “toughest opponents” in November in order to roll through December, January, and February, escaping with wins against bottom-feeders and avoiding too many losses. These are things you cannot do in the Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, Mountain West, or many other conferences.
Life is easy in the ACC.
No Anti-Duke Agenda
You may be wondering, why must I pen similar columns on Duke every winter?
I do not hate the university in Durham.
I admire Coach K as a person and leader.
And compared to the type of player many top schools have recruited the past 20 years, the Blue Devils usually have a roster of upstanding young men.
However, this does not excuse the fact that Duke is two games out of first in the lowly ACC, yet slotted above the first place school who crushed them two weeks ago, is ranked #1 in America by coaches, a close #2 by the AP, and #3 in ESPN’s infamous “power rankings.”
And more importantly, for the fourth year in a row, with a #1 RPI, this group is cruising toward a top seed they simply do not deserve.
The Trend Continues
Let’s review:
In 2010, Purdue University was locked in as the final top seed until Robbie Hummel tore his ACL Feb. 24 in Minneapolis; Duke quietly took the last number one seed for March Madness, somehow was given a cakewalk draw, and hung on to take the national title when Gordon Hayward’s desperation shot hit the rim at Lucas Oil Stadium. I was at the game, and support Butler, but Duke played even up with a “mid-major” for their first title in a decade.
In 2011, Duke was ranked #1 deep into January, then lost to unranked Florida State, St. John’s, and two of their final three games (non-tourney Virginia Tech and UNC). Like this season and last, the ACC was a weak conference; Duke lacked quality road wins; had questionable losses, yet somehow propelled themselves to a dubious top seed after winning three games in the irrelevant ACC tourney.
There was no rationale for this seeding except bias. The Blue Devils were quickly demolished by a one-man Arizona team in the Sweet 16 a fortnight later, proving they were unworthy of a one seed.
In 2012, Duke struggled mightily to survive at home against 5th place N.C. State, last place Virginia Tech, and at 20-loss Georgia Tech in another weak ACC. Number one seeds in March Madness shouldn’t need 40-45 minutes to hold off inferior teams.
Duke apologists pointed to the school’s ”quality wins” as to why they deserved a one seed. Factually, Duke’s best wins were a buzzer-beater against UNC, and neutral site triumphs versus Kansas, Michigan, and Michigan State.
The latter seem impressive, until you realize these all occurred in November before any of those young teams were what they became by season’s end. None were road games. Sound familiar? (Michigan State was also unranked in November and traveled 3,000 miles in three days after opening their season against UNC in San Diego.)
A December shellacking by Ohio State, January loss at Temple, home losses to unranked Miami and Florida State, plus another blowout home loss to rival North Carolina in the season finale — and a second loss to Florida State in the ACC tourney semi-finals — forced the committee to give Duke a #2.
They should have been a #3. Duke did not have a non-conference road win all season. (Creighton, for example, who had a better overall record than Duke and played in a conference every bit as good, yet was given an eight seed, had three.)
How did Duke reward the committee for that #2 seed? Embarrassingly losing to #15 Lehigh in round one.
In 2013, the Blue Devils again scheduled reasonably tough non-conference games — all in November and none on the road, however.
They survived against a very young and so far disappointing Kentucky in the opener; a Minnesota team that quickly went from top 10 to unranked; rapidly-fading Louisville; then made a furious comeback to beat Ohio State (5th place Big 10) in Durham. After being crushed in non-conference road games the past two years, Coach K simply avoided any this season.
Since Nov. 28, Duke has beaten no good teams. I’d argue they’re barely a top 20 team since then, especially when you consider:
In January, the Blue Devils:
- Lost to unranked N.C. State — arguably the most disappointing team in the nation.
- Were demolished by then #25 Miami (perhaps still overhyped and benefiting from a terrible ACC. The ‘Canes lost non-conference to Indiana State and Florida Gulf Coast, yet are unbeaten in conference).
- Then “hit their stride” by…barely surviving against bottom dwellers Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and, last night, coming back from down five late to win on a free throw at last place Boston College. (Earlier Sunday, #2 Indiana was ripping #10 Ohio State in Columbus, yet Duke is ranked higher in one poll?)
If this is a top team, it’s a sad year for college basketball.
Duke Overhype an Example of Sports Injustice
To aid Duke’s cause, ESPN is currently pushing the “best rivalry in college basketball” as North Carolina — a team bound for the NIT — comes to Cameron Indoor Wednesday night.
Exactly what have the Dukies done to deserve a 3 seed in March, much less the top draw, other than survive versus bad schools and schedule ostensibly tough matchups very early?
However, the ball don’t lie, as the kids say.
Untested in four months, the Blue Devils will likely lose early again in March Madness, as they have each year the past decade sans 2010; and the angry, ad hominem attacks from classless Duke fans toward my columns will again disappear; the media will forget this annual routine by November; and I’ll probably be forced to pen the same treatise next February, sadly.
College hoops has issues. They are nowhere near as bad as football and the fraudulent BCS, but despite the incredible success of so-called “mid-majors” in March, a problem is increasingly apparent:
If you’re ranked in the top five or ten when the season commences by a subjective, regional media, schedule softly most of non-conference, play in a weak “major” conference like the ACC or SEC, win 90% of your games, you’ll receive a top seed. Many have done it, but the Blue Devils will soon have done it four years in a row.
Many Americans dislike Duke’s basketball team, their coaches, their obnoxious fans, the school itself, mainstream media hype, and bias toward them, et al.
I do not have an agenda other than exposing injustice at the sports level — be that obvious (BCS, inordinate length of the NBA playoffs) or less obvious (incessant NFL hype, overrated/overpaid Ryan Howard).
I don’t know which category Duke falls into, but I believe the objective summaries I continue to provide each February are worth considering until this trend ceases.
About AJ Kaufman
No. I don’t think Duke will get a #1 seed. Would be very undeserving if it happens.
Unfortunately and unfairly, history shows the Blue Devils likely will get a #1 seed — unless, like last year, they completely collapse. And Duke simply doesn’t play enough/any decent teams to lose more than 2 games the rest of this regular reason. Meanwhile, most other top 10 schools — like Indiana & Michigan — will be playing at least 6 tough games during the final month. It’s ridiculous, but as noted, Duke will probably exit early in March Madness as usual.
I’m totally drunk right now drinking Creighton mid-major (embarrassed at home to lowly Illinois St.) kool-aid for every time Ari takes shots at Duke basketball and Ryan Howard…
It’s all about the U right now anyways, and Ben Brust Jimmered a lucky 40-footer…
No agenda. Just reality, and I’m proven correct nearly every season, sir. Creighton has been subpar lately. Unlike Duke fans, I admit this because I am honest. That said, Indiana St. & Illinois St. are the two hottest teams in The Valley.
Miami is better than Duke, but I think the ‘Canes lose in Durham (if Miami wins, then Duke really will have ZERO good wins since Nov. 28). The U doesn’t have any quality road wins — toughest thing in college hoops — since they play in the awful ACC. And they have two suspect losses. I see them going no deeper than Sweet 16 depending upon matchups. Anyone voting them #1 today is as insane as those voting Duke #1.
Exit question: How many losses would Duke have in this year’s Big Ten? 6? 7? 8?
yes, acc is quite down this year….duke also does not produce the nba level talent they did in the past (Brand, Maggette, Battier, et al) but still get recognized as a top team, despite no big road wins and a weakening rpi w teams they beat (minnesota, louisville) starting to struggle…
Correct. Any sensible person sees this. Duke fans like in an imaginary universe.
As you say, way to “pen” the article… You can’t hate Duke and think a couple of bullet points early in your article covers that fact. How is Duke playing early in the season any different than the 3 top 5 teams playing early in the season? Did Duke somehow have more experience at the same point in the schedule? You also lack important information in the years mentioned regarding injuries to key players like Kyrie Irving (ever heard of the ass whipping he is putting on the NBA after <20 games as a college player – that probably had a little to do with Duke losses that year). How about losing Ryan Kelley this year and last – no mention there in your article about Duke loses during the time when a starting 5 player is out. Just give it a rest man. We get it, you don't like Duke and you slight your readers when you don't provide the whole story. Ryan Kelley was JUST out of the lineup with their 2 losses this year and one of them has been avenged – second is yet to come but we have to wait for that to happen. Be sure to mention Duke traveling all night/morning to go to BC ON GAME DAY and yet still coming back from 5 with 2 minutes left next time and then mention that 2 of Indiana's 3 losses this year were AT HOME to UNRANKED teams while Duke's losses are ON THE ROAD to RANKED teams. Make sure to mention that Indiana has beat 1 top 5 team while Duke beat 3 in 5 weeks and STILL WASN'T ranked number 1 in the country – I wonder who was… Another thing, did you just belittle OSU for being 5th in their kick ass conference? Wow! They just played number 1 and 2 in the country last week IN THEIR CONFERENCE maybe that has something to do with it. I don't mind you hating Duke, Duke doesn't need more fans nor does it need more people to think it's "cool" to hate Duke – Duke fans are happy campers. Just admit it – as they say, "Denial is the first sign of a problem." I'll wait for your next article about how #1 Indiana and #3 Miami shouldn't ranked because they have won too many games by too few point margins. That sounds about as legit as this nonesense. Maybe after that discount Wisconsin's 5 OT win to Louisville because without a 3 point line it never would have happened.
Ad hominem attacks, written anonymously, as expected from a Duke fan. They never cease to amaze. I know no fan base quite like it.
Boston College is one of the worst teams in America and you almost lost to them. Ditto Wake Forest.
As to IU, the Butler game was neutral and Butler is #10 now. Wisconsin is in the top 20. IU is not my team in the least, but they have far better wins. So does every other top 10 team.
Every team has injuries. That is a cop out.
When Duke gets their first quality road win of the year, let me know. And when Duke gets their first quality non conference win since December 2008 (!), let me know.
I’ll expect to NOT (I love how you guys use caps for no reason) hear from you when the Devils exit early as usual.
Thanks for the comment.
LOW expectations in Durham? http://www.businessinsider.com/video-mike-krzyzewski-stops-duke-students-from-rushing-court-2013-2
If you watched the game closely he didn’t stop them from storming the court. There was a discrepancy regarding the game clock, and he believed the officials were going to make the teams go back on the court.
Mighty Indiana sure looked good losing to “struggling” Minnesota. Also, Louisville does not appear to be fading now do they? Another excellent point as to why you don’t write definitive articles in February! Also, last time I checked Butler beat Michigan State from the mighty Big 10 in the Final Four in 2010. I would rather barely survive, as you described it, and win a national title than lose to an upstart in front of the entire country.
Indiana has won at Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. I’m not a fan of theirs, but that’s impressive. Big Ten games are simply played at much higher levels than ACC.
Duke won at UNC yesterday. That’s it.
The ACC is very weak and Duke/Miami etc will likely be exposed in the tournament against teams who’ve played in much tougher conferences all season. Happens nearly every year.
Thanks for commenting a month after I wrote the article. (I could point out Duke lost to awful Maryland and UVA since I published this, but I’m not petty like Duke fans)
Dang, another year without a Final 4 for underachieving Duke. That’s 9 of 10. Talk to you guys in November as I know y’all disappear at this point. Yes, I am the hater. LOL.