Bracketologists Agree Duke is Headed for Two Seed in Greensboro
With just under a month to go until Selection Sunday, Duke is a consensus two-seed, according to a selection of leading NCAA Tournament projections.
The bracketologists generally agree that the Blue Devils will open in Greensboro, then head for New York City, assuming they advance to the second weekend.
Here’s a look at the latest projections:
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi: Mr. Bracketology has Duke as a two in the East, starting its run in Greensboro against Austin Peay. The Blue Devils would then get the winner of 7 Houston and 10 Florida.
The next weekend would start with the team to advance out of a pod including 3 Seton Hall, 6 Iowa and 11 Virginia.
At the top of the bracket is 1 San Diego State, as well as 4 Penn State and 5 Creighton.
CBSSports.com’s Jerry Palm: The big picture is the same here: Duke is a 2 in the East behind San Diego State and starting in Greensboro. Palm has the Blue Devils starting with 15 Hofstra, then facing the winner of 7 Illinois and 10 Arizona State, coached by former Blue Devil Bobby Hurley.
Penn State is Palm’s 3 seed in the region, who will have to get past 6 Arizona. San Diego State will need to get past 4 Creighton and 5 Kentucky.
USA Today: Yet another vote for 2 seed in the East behind San Diego State, starting in Greensboro, USA Today has Duke opening with 15 South Dakota State, then getting 7 Arizona or 10 Purdue.
USA Today also puts Virginia with Duke as an 11, against 6 Ohio State. Seton Hall is the 3. Up top, Michigan State gets the 4 nad LSU the 5.
SB Nation: Not much changes here. Duke is a 2 in the East, starting in Greensboro and looking at the Aztecs at 1. Seton Hall is the 3 and Kentucky the 4.
Facts and Bracks: This blog site agrees with the other projections: 2 in the East behind the Aztecs. Duke would open in Greensboro with UC Irvine, then get 7 Ohio State or 10 Oklahoma. Next round would bring 3 Maryland or 6 LSU. Virginia is again the 11 here. The other seeds at the top are 4 Oregon and 5 Iowa.
NCAA.com’s Andy Katz: As the 2 in the East, Duke opens with Wright State in Katz’s bracket, followed by 7 Rutgers or 10 Houston. Next are 3 Maryland or 6 Creighton. San Diego State needs to get past 4 Butler or 5 Kentucky.
Real Time RPI: The one outlier is lying way, way out there. Duke is a 1 in this projection, in the West. A note of caution, according to this projection, the Blue Devils will open play in Wichita, who is not hosting games this season. The site also has undefeated San Diego State as a 5 seed.
If this one happens to be correct, Duke would open with St. Francis, PA, then get 8 Oklahoma or 9 Xavier. 4 Arizona or 5 Kentucky would likely be next. On the other side of the bracket are 2 Florida State and 3 Oregon.
