Pitino Gives Duke's Scheyer Credit Ahead of Sweet 16

The 1-seed Duke Blue Devils are gearing up to face 5-seed St. John's in the Sweet 16 as the Blue Devils look to advance to their third consecutive Elite Eight under head coach Jon Scheyer. Pitino has brought the Red Storm to their first Sweet 16 since 1999.

St. John's is becoming a popular upset bid among fans around the nation to take down the top-seeded Blue Devils, especially considering how Duke has looked at less than full strength thus far through the Big Dance.

TCU Horned Frogs guard Brock Harding (2) passes near Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer March 21, 2026 during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The main reason the Blue Devils earned the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament was the gauntlet of a schedule Scheyer scheduled for his guys. Duke's head man never shies away from giving his team one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation, and this year was no different.

Across the entirety of the non-conference schedule. Duke faced five ranked opponents, going 4-1 in those games. Through the entirety of the regular season, the Blue Devils took on 13 ranked opponents.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts after a play during the second half against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Scheyer's club finished the regular season with an 11-2 record against AP Top 25 opponents, the most of any team in the sport this year, and tied with the most wins over ranked opponents in a season in the history of the AP Poll.

Rick Pitino yells at his players in the first half during a game on March 31, 2012 | Michael Clevenger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rick Pitino Credits Jon Scheyer's Scheduling

Pitino is looking to be just the third program this season to defeat the Blue Devils on Friday, but he gave Scheyer his flowers for his scheduling prowess.

“I’ve never seen a schedule like that in my career. … it’s an amazing schedule," Pitino told reporters on Thursday.

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer watches down court Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the Siena Saints at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Duke Dealt With Arguably Toughest Schedule in College Basketball This Season

With the plethora of elite freshman talent Duke brings in each year, it is crucial for Scheyer to schedule marquee opponents to get his guys ready for the NCAA Tournament. The 2025-26 campaign is likely the toughest schedule Scheyer has faced as Duke's head coach, and the Blue Devils thrived.

The blue blood program ended the season ranked No. 1 in the NCAA NET Rankings, with a 17-2 record in Quadrant 1 games, a 23-2 record across the first two quadrants, a 15-0 record at home, and a 10-1 record on the road.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Duke's 17 Quad 1 victories are tied with Michigan for the most of any team in the nation.

Winning six straight games in the NCAA Tournament is not easy, and Scheyer's scheduling plays a major factor in how well Duke has handled adversity thus far.