Duke Makes ACC History With Conference Tournament Title

The Duke Blue Devils were considered the clear-cut best team out of the ACC for the vast majority of the season, and the Blue Devils proved that correct on Saturday night. Duke, the 1-seed in the ACC Tournament, took down 2-seed Virginia in the ACC Tournament Championship to claim its third ACC Tournament crown in four seasons under head coach Jon Scheyer.

Duke is now entering the NCAA Tournament on an 11-game win streak and will be the No. 1 overall seed in the big dance.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts after being named tournament MVP after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In a season with one of the biggest talent pools across the board in recent college basketball memory, Duke propelled itself to the top with elite computer metrics to back it up. The Blue Devils are currently 16-2 in Quadrant 1 games, 22-2 across the first two quadrants, and 11-2 in contests against AP Top 25 opponents.

In men's basketball specifically, Duke is a perennial national title contender year in and year out and is one of the most storied programs in the history of the sport. However, the Blue Devils' ACC Tournament title just made ACC history beyond men's basketball alone.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on against the Virginia Cavaliers during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Duke Men's Basketball Seals ACC History

After the Blue Devils took down the Cavaliers to win the conference tournament crown, Duke is now the first school in ACC history to win a football, men's basketball, and women's basketball conference championship in the same season.

Duke women's basketball took down Louisville on March 8, 70-65, to claim the ACC crown. It was a heck of a turnaround for Kara Lawson and her program. After the Blue Devils began the season as the No. 7 team in the land, it got out to a 6-6 record to begin the campaign, dropping out of the AP Top 25 altogether.

Mar 8, 2026; Duluth, GA, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Kara Lawson cuts down the net after Duke defeated the Louisville Cardinals at Gas South Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Throughout the remainder of the year, Duke went 18-2 with a 16-2 record in league play.

Manny Diaz and the Duke football program were one of the coolest underdog stories in college football this season.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils went just 7-5 in the regular season, but due to the ACC's wild tiebreaker rules, they earned a spot in the ACC Championship Game and took down Virginia 27-20 in overtime.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer instructs his team against the Virginia Cavaliers during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Jon Scheyer Is the National Coach of the Year

Scheyer led the Blue Devils to a 32-2 overall record, a 17-1 record in league play, and the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness. He and his staff accomplished all this after losing their entire starting five from the 2024-25 campaign.

By the advanced metrics, Duke is the best team in college basketball. Most programs that lose their entire starting five are expected to take a step back the following season, and not many coaches outside of Scheyer could replicate that success with a brand new squad.