Duke Remains on Perch in Latest Bracketology Update

The Duke Blue Devils (24-2, 13-1 ACC) moved up to No. 3 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 and jumped to No. 2 in the NCAA NET Rankings. After falling in heartbreaking fashion in Chapel Hill to No. 16 North Carolina (20-6, 8-5 ACC), the Blue Devils have rung off three straight victories by an average margin of 22 points.

Duke has firmly been in the mix to earn a 1-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament over the last several weeks, given that it boasts arguably the best resume in all of college basketball so far. As of now, the Blue Devils are 10-2 in Quadrant 1, 16-2 across the first two quadrants, 13-0 at home, and 8-1 in true road games.

cayde — Feb 16, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) makes a call during the second half against the Syracuse Orange at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The only other team in college hoops with as many Quad 1 victories as Duke is No. 1 Michigan. Conveniently, the two powerhouses are set to face off this weekend in what could be the best game of the entire 2025-26 season.

Michigan and Duke are the top two squads in the NET and at KenPom, respectively. Both are also the top two defenses in college basketball, according to KenPom. The Blue Devils and Wolverines will face off this Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Tip-off is set for 6:30 pm ET.

isiaa — Feb 16, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) reacts after scoring against the Syracuse Orange during the during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Duke Remains on Top Line in Latest Bracketology

As most expected, the Blue Devils are still a projected 1-seed according to ESPN's latest Bracketology update. The four 1-seeds have remained the same for weeks now, with Michigan, UConn, and Arizona joining Duke.

The Wolverines are currently slated as the No. 1 overall seed, meaning Duke could take that top spot if it can earn a victory on a neutral floor this weekend.

yaxe — Feb 17, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard C.j Cox (0) defends against Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) during the second half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils also have a great chance to become the new No. 1 team in the AP Poll if they can pick up a win over Michigan.

Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts on the court against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

ACC Remains Strong in NCAA Tournament Projections

The ACC is the strongest it has been in any of the last four seasons, and it remains well represented in the latest ESPN bracketology update. The ACC currently has eight projected teams in the field. The only conferences with more are the Big Ten and the SEC, each with 10.

Those teams included along with Duke are: Virginia (5-seed), Louisville (5-seed), North Carolina (6-seed), Clemson (7-seed), NC State (8-seed), Miami (9-seed), and SMU (10-seed).

cale — Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) shoots against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Nojus Indrusaitis (25) and guard Barry Dunning Jr. (22) during the second half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Duke is still the only top-four seed out of the conference.

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