March Madness Without Duke

Posted by Mark Barnes Feb 12, 2007

March Madness without the Duke Blue Devils.

It doesn't sound right.

Duke has lost four straight games, is in sixth place in the ACC and is just 18-7, overall. With remaining games at Boston College, at Clemson and at North Carolina, Duke missing the NCAA Tournament is not entirely unreasonable.

It's hard for the average college basketball fan to even consider March Madness without Duke and legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Coach K is one of four coaches in NCAA Tournament history with three or more titles. His Duke squads have won 30 or more games in a season an NCAA record seven times.

Duke and the NCAA Tournament have been synonymous for decades, but this may change in 2007.

With several mid-major conferences vying to place multiple teams in the NCAA Tournament, numerous college basketball powers will be eliminated.

If the ACC sends its usual five teams to the Big Dance, it wil be difficult for the selection committee to overlook Clemson, which has a better won-loss record than Duke and Florida State, which beat Duke in Durham.

Other factors, such as Wright State winning the Horizon League, could be devastating for Duke. If Wright State gets a bid as this weak conference's winner, this eliminates a major college like Duke, because Butler, also in the Horizon, will definitely get an at-large NCAA Tournament bid, based on the Bulldogs fine record.

So, it seems, Duke is in trouble.

Unless the Blue Devils reel off four or five straight wins, Coach K and mighty Duke may not get an invitation to this year's March Madness dance.