Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett Combine for 55 in Duke's Win vs. Ferris State

The fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils finished the preseason Saturday afternoon with a 132-48 victory over the Division II Ferris State Bulldogs at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

RJ Barrett, the No. 1 prospect in the 2018 recruiting class based on 247Sports' composite rankings, continued to flash his potential with 32 points, nine rebounds and four assists. He should make an immediate major impact when the regular season gets underway.

The same could be said for fellow freshman Zion Williamson, the fifth-rated 2018 recruit. He put up a double-double with 23 points and 10 boards as the Blue Devils closed out their exhibition slate.

Barrett Will Deliver on College Player of the Year Hype

October exhibition games against the likes of Ferris State and the Virginia Union Panthers, another D-II program Duke scored a 106-64 win over Tuesday, are far from perfect indicators about what's going to happen in the regular season. They are low-pressure contests designed to build confidence.

That said, special talent always seems to shine through, regardless of the situation.

That's been the case with Barrett since he arrived in the program as the top prospect in the 2018 college basketball recruiting class. His wide-ranging, high-level skill set has a chance to make him the best player in the country right away.

Legendary Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski knew he had something exceptional on his hands when the Blue Devils embarked on a tour of Barrett's native Canada in August. He called the freshman forward an outstanding player but noted it goes beyond talent, per Lori Ewing of the Canadian Press (h/t The Star).

"So this experience that he's had with the Canadian national team and the younger (Canadian) teams has been invaluable," Coach K said. "RJ has always been involved with older really talented groups, and with outstanding leadership ... he's just flourished, he's very unique, he's way ahead of the game at this time in his career."

The last part of that statement is what's made him so impressive already. He's yet to play an official college game and, while the team features an incredible amount of first-year talent, he's been a step above the rest. Yes, he's skilled, but he also reads the game like an upperclassman.

Although the level of competition is going to increase exponentially, especially during ACC play once the calendar flips to 2019, Barrett is ready to dominate.

Expect him to contend for the College Player of the Year Award and establish himself as the top player available in the 2019 NBA draft in the process.

Williamson, Additional Depth Make Duke National Title Favorite

The Blue Devils are set to open the regular season in the top five of both major polls, but no team in the nation can match their peak upside with the sensational freshman trio of Barrett, Williamson and Cam Reddish leading the way and a slew of potent role players.

Williamson's unbelievable combination of power and athleticism was on display once again in the blowout:

Reddish tallied 20 points and five assists Saturday to once again show he shouldn't be overlooked despite the early spotlight landing on his fellow new arrivals.

It goes far beyond those three rising stars, though. A player such as junior center Marques Bolden, who put up 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes against Ferris, is capable of creating consistent matchup problems on the interior.

Javin DeLaurier is another sneaky asset for Duke. The junior forward doesn't need to touch the ball every possession on the offensive end to make an impact. He's strong on the glass and has really started to develop as a distributor out of the post, which are factors essential to winning close games.

A lot of things must go right between now and March Madness for any team to win the national championship, led by key players staying healthy. But the exhibition slate has already started to show Duke may have the resources necessary to best survive any setbacks during the season.

The oddsmakers seemingly agree. OddsShark noted the Blue Devils are the preseason title favorites (+450; bet $100 to win $450) followed by the Kentucky Wildcats (+500), Kansas Jayhawks (+750), Gonzaga Bulldogs (+800) and Nevada Wolf Pack (+800).

Duke could very well live up to that favored label and deliver the program's sixth NCAA tournament title.

What's Next?

Duke and its star-studded group of first-year contributors will need to hit the ground running because the team opens the regular season Nov. 6 in the Champions Classic against the second-ranked Wildcats at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Blue Devils are also set to take part in the Maui Invitational Tournament and the ACC-Big Ten Challenge during the nonconference portion of their schedule over the season's first two months.