After finishing last season on top of the college basketball world, Duke is ranked fifth in this year's preseason poll.
North Carolina claimed the top spot in the poll, followed by No. 2 Kentucky, No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 Kansas. Last week, the Blue Devils were picked to finish third in the ACC by the preseason media poll, with the Tar Heels tabbed as the conference victors.
Although the Blue Devils will have to deal with losing championship centerpieces Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow, they retooled this year with the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski brought in a trio of five-star recruits—swingman and No. 3 overall recruit Brandon Ingram, 6-foot-10 center Chase Jeter and point guard Derryck Thornton—as well as a four-star shooting guard in Luke Kennard, who averaged nearly 40 points per game as a senior in high school.
The ACC was well represented with four teams in the top 25 and three in the top 10, as Virginia came in at No. 6 and Notre Dame earned the No. 19 spot. Miami, Louisville, N.C. State and Florida State all received votes in the first poll of the year.
In addition to the four games the Blue Devils will play against ranked conference opponents—the annual home-and-home Tobacco Road Rivalry with No. 1 North Carolina as well as home contests against the Cavaliers and Fighting Irish—Duke is slated to square off against the No. 2 Wildcats, No. 15 Indiana and No. 16 Utah early in the season. The Blue Devils could also face No. 17 Wisconsin during the 2K Classic in November in a rematch of last year's title game.
Duke played its first exhibition game Friday—defeating Division II national champion Florida Southern 112-68—and hosts Livingstone in its second and final exhibition contest Wednesday night. The Blue Devils will officially kick off their title defense when they welcome Siena to Cameron Indoor Stadium Nov. 13.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.