Duke Basketball: Blue Devils Face Only Two Hurdles Between Now and March Madness

Fresh off a close victory over their archrival, the Duke Blue Devils can rest easy knowing their remaining games are all winnable. 

The only challenges Duke will face in next month are a Feb. 23 battle with Florida State, who is currently ranked No. 17 in the nation, and also the final game of the year on March 3 against the North Carolina Tar Heels. 

Nothing else but those two games matter for Duke right now. The Blue Devils schedule has prepared them for a rigorous NCAA Tournament, but in order to really thrive there they have to ensure they get the best ranking possible. 

The only way that happens is if Duke gets revenge on Florida State and sweeps North Carolina. The first meetings were close games, so expect the Seminoles and the Tar Heels to give Duke great challenges.

Winning the ACC is the main priority for right now, but this, of course, will not be easy.

Just because Duke beat the Tar Heels on Wednesday night does not mean they are the better team. North Carolina let that game slip away, and they'll be ready to stick it to Duke once March rolls around.

The Tar Heels have the size advantage, which was noted in Wednesday's contest. Duke can own the perimeter shooting, though, so North Carolina will have to watch out for that next month. 

There is still much to learn about all three of these teams, and we'll figure it out once they play each other. North Carolina doesn't have to play Florida State again, but having lost to them as well, it's proof that Seminoles are no push over this season. They need to be feared. 

The Blue Devils can breathe easy knowing that realistically only two games on their remaining schedule matter. Duke has the talent to win, but the key will be staying focused during the meaningless games leading up to the big battles against the stronger teams.