Why Duke's Clearly in Exclusive Tier Following Weekend

At this point of the college basketball season, it feels like there are anywhere from six to nine teams that can legitimately win the National Championship, and that list obviously includes Duke (27-2, 15-1 ACC), the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25.

With so much talent at the top of the sport this year, it's practically impossible to determine a true "best" team in the country as of now. At times, every team in the nation has looked vulnerable while also looking unbeatable at others.

Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Dame Sarr (7) and forward Cameron Boozer (12) joke during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke won 77-51. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

That bodes well for an elite NCAA Tournament with many potential heavyweight matchups across the second and third weekend. Duke is a near lock to earn a 1-seed in this year's big dance for the second season in a row after it took down No. 11 Virginia (25-4, 13-3 ACC) on Saturday.

Duke has now won its last six games by an average margin of 22 points.

Although several squads seem to have the makeup for a deep March run, there is a clear top tier of college basketball right now, and that list includes Duke.

Feb 24, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer claps against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Duke and Michigan Clear Top Two Teams in College Basketball

Duke and Michigan are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the NCAA NET Rankings, at KenPom, and in Wins Above Bubble. Michigan is currently No. 3 in the AP Poll after the Blue Devils defeated it in Washington, D.C. last weekend.

Despite the Blue Devils owning a head-to-head victory over the Wolverines, it still isn't necessarily clear which of the two is better. However, results from this past weekend show that Duke and Michigan are ahead of the rest of the field.

Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA;Duke Blue Devils forward Dame Sarr (7) reacts after hitting a three-pointer during the first half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Duke took down Virginia, the second-place team in the ACC, by a score of 77-51 in a game that was fairly non-competitive in the second half. The Blue Devils are clearly miles ahead of every other squad in the ACC, dealing with minimal issues as league play has rolled along.

As for the Wolverines, a big-time result of their own proves that they're still firmly in the mix to be called the best team in the sport despite losing to Duke. Michigan took down No. 10 Illinois on the road on Friday night by a score of 84-70. It held a lead as large as 21 against one of the best teams in the Big 10.

Feb 24, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) shoots as Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Sir Mohammed (13) defends during the second half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

There are obviously other contenders besides Duke and Michigan, but those results show the two programs are likely the most dominant teams in college basketball right now.

Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer (right) directs forward Cameron Boozer (12) to the bench after being poked in the eye during the first half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

What’s Next for Duke?

Next up, Duke will hit the road to face NC State (19-10, 10-6 ACC) on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE, and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE.