Duke Basketball: 5 Reasons Why Blue Devils Are Favorites in 2013 NCAA Tournament

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Coming off the worst tournament loss in school history last year, the Duke Blue Devils have turned things around and should be considered the favorite to win the 2013 NCAA tournament.

Mike Krzyzewski's bunch is dealing with injuries to senior leaders Seth Curry and Ryan Kelly right now, but it is possible that they will both be back for the tourney.

However, for the purposes of this list, let's assume that Curry will be back, but that Kelly will be back in a limited fashion.

Depth of Talent

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Despite not using it much so far this season, Duke has a very talented bench.

Tyler Thornton, Amile Jefferson, Alex Murphy, Josh Hairston and Marshall Plumlee were all highly touted recruits, and all bring different looks to this Duke team.

Thornton has been playing a good deal, but now that Kelly is out we will see Jefferson and Hairston playing more, which could lead to Coach K relying more on them down the stretch.

Obviously the injuries hurt Duke, but now we will get to see this talented bench in action.

Quinn Cook's Emergence

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This is arguably the biggest reason why Duke has been playing so well this year and why the Blue Devils can go far in this year's Big Dance.

Duke finally has a true point guard again. It's been a while since the team had a true floor general and facilitator like Cook, after relying on combo-guards like Jon Scheyer, Seth Curry and Austin Rivers over the last few years.

Cook is only a sophomore, but he has already proven that he is elite. His 11.5 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game have come against some of the best point guards in the country, including Aaron Craft and Peyton Siva.

There is no doubt in my mind that Cook is now ready for the Big Dance, and he is going to take this team very far in the 2013 tourney.

Mason Plumlee's Dominance

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Mason Plumlee is an animal.

The athletic 6'10" big man has become the favorite for National Player of the Year honors with his 17.4 points and 11.5 rebounds per game this season.

Plumlee has improved in leaps and bounds throughout his career, and his stock is soaring this year.

What could be the most important improvement for him is the fact that he is now shooting 65.6 percent from the line. That doesn't sound all that good, but that is 12.8 percent better than last year, and now he is able to stay on the court at the end of close games without having to worry about opponents constantly fouling him.

Plumlee is a beast, and he is going to help lead the Blue Devils to a deep run, and possibly to another title.

Mike Krzyzewski's Experience

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Coach K is arguably the most successful coach in history.

The all-time wins leader has accrued a 79-24 record in the Big Dance, for a winning percentage of .767. He has also racked up 13 ACC Championships, 11 Final Fours and four national championships.

With so much experience in postseason play, Krzyzewski will have his boys ready for anything that they will face in March (and early April).

Parity in College Basketball

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This year there really is no No. 1 team in college basketball. No team has been able to face all of its challenges, and few teams have a case to be the top team in the land.

Duke is one of the teams making that case, and it's tough to pick against the Blue Devils. When Duke is healthy the team has not lost a game and has beaten three Top Five teams.

This is far from Duke's best team in recent years, but because everyone else is struggling, it is the best in the country.

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