2010-11 Duke Blue Devils College Basketball Predictions and Odds

I've never been a fan of Duke basketball, but it’s hard to have anything but begrudging respect for what Coach K has done with this program.

Last season he changed his approach to suit his personnel—something he does better than anyone— built a team that just kept getting better as the season went along and then peaked at exactly the right time.

Now he will be changing his playing style radically again, but this time he won’t be sneaking up on anyone.

The Blue Devils are the favorites and the team with a target on its back.

Offseason Changes

Duke lost three starters from last season's team.

The biggest change is that Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas are gone. Those two were big, ferocious rebounders. Coach K based much of his approach on them.

With their departure, the inside game will move outward.

The key to it all is Kyrie Irving, the mega-recruit who will be the starting point guard until he heads to the NBA. He is a very special talent who could play himself into the top pick in the next NBA Draft.

Coach K seems to be committing this team’s hopes to Irving, something he has never done before with one player.

Irving has another intriguing newcomer joining him in the backcourt—Seth Curry, younger brother of Stephen.

Seth was the nation’s leading freshman scorer at Liberty two seasons ago before transferring to Duke. Curry could come off the bench, or he could allow the team to experiment with what could be a truly terrifying three-guard system.

Duke Blue Devils Outlook

Last season, I never believed in this team. I picked against the Blue Devils in their last four tournament games. This year I believe in them from the start.

Great programs have those years when everything falls into place for them. This looks to be one of those years for Duke.

Kyle Singler shocked everyone including the coaching staff when he skipped the draft to return for another year.

Nolan Smith was quite possibly the most improved player in the country last year, and should only be better this season.

Mason Plumlee could have been a lottery pick in this year's draft as a freshman, based on his physical tools. This season he will use those tools to their potential.

Add Curry, Irving and two other very impressive freshmen, and this is really a team without a weakness.

This team isn’t going to tower over everyone, and they won’t out-rebound everyone like they did last year, but if Irving is very good—and there is ample reason to believe he will be—then this team will outrun and outscore everyone.

Duke Blue Devils College Basketball Odds

The Blue Devils are favored to win the national championship at 5/1. The books have installed them at a stunning minus-250 to win the ACC. North Carolina is a distant second in the conference at plus-250.

Duke Blue Devils Basketball Schedule

Duke hosts Michigan State on Dec. 1 in the biggest non-conference game of the season. They are the top two teams in the country according to the odds, so there will be fireworks.

Duke could also face Kansas State or Gonzaga in the final of the CBE Classic.

Outside of that, the non-conference season is reasonably kind.

The conference schedule is what you would expect, though the final game of the season, a trip to North Carolina, could potentially be one for the ages.

Duke College Basketball Predictions and Picks

This team is going to be very tough to beat.

Irving played internationally this summer and looked truly dominant. Singler has evolved from liability to dominant. Smith is special. The Plumlee brothers are impressive. Curry will be a joy to watch.

Chemistry is the question. The team needs to find it quickly. We have seen several young point guards impress for top teams recently, though, so Irving can do what he is being asked to do.

A price of minus-500 to win the national championship is ridiculous given what a team has to accomplish to cut down the nets, but this team in this season justifies the price as much as any team can.

The season sets up very well for Duke, and I don’t expect them to disappoint.