Where Duke stands in a way-too-early NCAA Bracketology
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Duke as a No. 1 seed in his way-too-early NCAA Tournament Bracketology.
The start of the 2026-27 college basketball season is still six months away, but that hasn’t stopped ESPN’s Joe Lunardi from doing a way-way-too-early NCAA Bracketology for next year’s March Madness. For Duke and head coach Jon Scheyer, Lunardi has the Blue Devils in a familiar place: as a No. 1 seed in the South Region, with the first two rounds taking place in nearby Charlotte.
Duke joins Florida, Illinois and reigning national champion Michigan as the No. 1 seeds in his bracket, with the Gators being the top overall seed. The Blue Devils would face the winners of the play-in game between 16-seeds Troy and Merrimack.
Scheyer has arguably the deepest roster for next season, with Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba returning, while John Blackwell and Drew Scharnowski were key additions via the transfer portal. Add in a recruiting class with 5-stars Cameron Williams, Bryson Howard and Deron Rippey Jr. , along with Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, and the Blue Devils have a rotation of at least 10 deep, including Sebastian Wilkins.
Duke has been a No. 1 seed in the last two NCAA Tournaments, bringing its total to 16 in program history. This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Where Duke stands in a way-too-early NCAA Bracketology