Duke Basketball: How Blue Devils Stack Up with ACC's Top Teams

How about we just fast-forward to the national championship game? Nobody is more talented than Duke or Kentucky in college basketball this season.

That's right, even in the top-heavy ACC that has a handful of the nation's best teams, nobody is quite talented or deep enough to challenge the Blue Devils. So let's just give Mike Krzyzewski the ACC trophy and move on.

Of course, it doesn't work that way, and games are played on the court and not on paper. Even if Duke is loaded with future NBA players, including arguably the top player in the country, the ACC brings a number of dangerous opponents to the table that could rack together some upsets.

After all, Duke had Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood last year and fell short in both the conference tournament and the NCAA tournament in dramatic and almost laughable fashion. 

So how will everything unfold for Krzyzewski's squad this time around? Read on to see how the Blue Devils stack up with the rest of the ACC's top teams.

Notre Dame

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The nonconference schedule could not have gone much better for Notre Dame. Sure, it lost a heartbreaker to Providence by one point, but it knocked off Michigan State in overtime in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge and destroyed Purdue. Throw in a 20-point conference win over Florida State, and it has been a great start for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame is an interesting matchup for Duke because of the backcourt battle.

Jerian Grant is one of the best guards in the entire nation, and he will challenge whomever the Blue Devils put on him. Quinn Cook's one weakness is still dealing with shifty ball-handlers who can penetrate the lane while Tyus Jones would be giving up a lot of experience to the senior Grant.

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Don't be surprised if Krzyzewski used Justise Winslow on Grant given his overall length and athleticism. It would be a similar move to the one the Miami Heat used to make with LeBron James whenever they needed to shut down an opposing point guard or smaller shooting guard, and it would likely be effective. 

That would be more than enough for Duke to get the win considering the advantage it would have down low with Jahlil Okafor. Notre Dame's leading rebounder is only 6'5" (Pat Connaughton), so the dominant Okafor could have his way in the paint and on the boards.

North Carolina

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This is the showdown that Duke fans care about the most regardless of what's at stake. It could be an ACC title if North Carolina plays its part as a competitive squad in conference play.

The Tar Heels were something of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team in nonconference play. They controlled the entire game against Ohio State in an impressive win but were overmatched in a blowout loss to Kentucky. Everyone is overmatched against Kentucky, so the home loss to Iowa and the early loss to Butler are more worrisome.

Still, like Notre Dame, North Carolina has an elite guard in Marcus Paige that Duke may need to use Winslow on as a defender. Paige can control the flow of almost any game with his shooting, penetration skills and ability to set up his teammates and will be a problem for the Blue Devils again this season.

North Carolina also has its own elite defender in J.P. Tokoto and enough length with Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks to at least bother Okafor down low. There are few teams in the entire nation, let alone the conference, that have the size to handle Okafor on the blocks, which will make this matchup very interesting.

The home team may just win both games.

Louisville

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Duke will not face a better defense all season than Louisville unless it squares off with Kentucky in the NCAA tournament.

The Cardinals are No. 2 in Ken Pomeroy's defensive rankings and, like North Carolina, actually have the size to deal with Okafor down low. Unlike North Carolina, though, it comes in the form of one guy—Montrezl Harrell.

Harrell will hear his name called in the first round of the NBA draft with Okafor and is an absolute monster on the blocks. He anchors the defense with his athleticism and ability to swat shots and roam the baseline and will look to do the same against Duke.

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Still, the difference in this game may be on the offensive side for Louisville. It is a measly 74th in Pomeroy's offensive rankings and is a measly 200th in field-goal percentage and 212th in assists per game. Duke, on the other hand, is No. 1 in Pomeroy's offensive rankings and will find a way to score some points even against the Cardinals' suffocating defense. 

Louisville may not have the firepower to keep up.

Virginia

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Louisville may be the higher-profile name, but Virginia is the better version of the shutdown defensive team that Duke will have to face in the ACC. The only difference is, the Cavaliers are actually really talented on offense as well.

Virginia's defense gets the attention (when Virginia actually does get attention), but the offense is No. 4 in Pomeroy's offensive rankings and uses a devastatingly efficient style of play. Sure, the Cavaliers slow down the pace, which impacts the raw scoring numbers, but they take advantage of the shots they do take and are 18th in the country in field-goal percentage.

The athletic Blue Devils love to get out and run, so they will need patience against Virginia. Otherwise, it could lead to forced turnovers and costly mistakes down the stretch against Pomeroy's No. 3 defense. 

Virginia is undefeated on the season and is absolutely lethal on both ends of the floor. For the second straight year, it represents the biggest challenger to Duke for the ACC crown.

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