The Blue Devils have defeated some of the heavyweights in the NCAA Tournament field and that will be something they'll use as a foundation for confidence as they embark on that portion of the postseason.
Duke carries a 25-6 record as a No. 2 seed in the South Region. With Kentucky as the No. 1 seed in the bracket, it's easy to recall the regional finals matchup between the rivals 20 years ago.
But that's getting ahead of the game as Duke must tangle with Patriot League champion Lehigh in the first round.
As long as the Blue Devils stay in the tournament, they'll remain in the Southeast part of the country. Their first assignment is in nearby Greensboro, N.C., and if they win two games they would go to Atlanta for the regionals.
There's a potentially interesting matchup in a second tournament game for Duke because it could come against Notre Dame, which is coached by former Duke assistant Mike Brey.
Duke had several stretches during the season when its performances seemed rather ordinary, but the Blue Devils continued to pick up victories. There were times when coach Mike Krzyzewski offered reminders that this team was finding ways to win games, so he would point out the team's record as a reference point that the team was racking up credentials.
"There's a bunch of things you can wish for," Krzyzewski said, "but who we are has been very good. I mean, it has been really good."
Krzyzewski has called the Blue Devils a good team that's striving for a piece of greatness. Its three-year run of ACC Tournament championships ended with a semifinals loss to eventual champion Florida State.
Duke owns victories against North Carolina and Michigan State, both No. 1 seeds in the tournament, along with a conquering of Kansas, which is a No. 2 seed.
The Blue Devils will rely on scoring from their guards in order to advance. The lineup has players who have gone through the tournament experience, though in several cases such as for center Miles Plumlee and forward Mason Plumlee there are heightened roles from what they were asked to do in past postseasons.
NOTES, QUOTES
-Duke's two lowest-scoring games of the season came in the ACC Tournament. A 60-56 victory against Virginia Tech was followed with a 62-59 loss to Florida State. Duke had scored 78.7 points per game through the regular season, so the absence of junior F Ryan Kelly with a foot injury and his 11.2 points per game cut down on the versatility of the offense.
-Freshman G Austin Rivers was named the ACC Rookie of the Year as only the second unanimous selection in the history of the award. The other was former North Carolina player Tyler Hansbrough. Rivers also was Duke's lone All-ACC first-team selection, and he'll head to the NCAA Tournament with 16 consecutive games of double-figure scoring.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
SCOUTING REPORT: The Blue Devils are perimeter-oriented on offense with 3-point shooting a major source of their offense. They look for 3-pointers in their half-court offense and particularly in transition. This isn't a defensive-strong team that the Blue Devils usually send out, but there have been improvements in that area at times during the past month.
Freshman G Austin Rivers is mostly to try to create offense by driving with the ball. F Mason Plumlee and C Miles Plumlee are good finishers around the basket, but sometimes their number of attempts is limited. The Blue Devils lose some size without F Ryan Kelly, who missed the ACC Tournament with a foot injury and will be re-evaluated to determine his status for the NCAA Tournament.
FUTURES WATCH: Freshman G Austin Rivers has racked up plenty of accolades during his first season, probably highlighted by his often-replayed winning 3-point basket from the Feb. 8 comeback at North Carolina. He has been projected by some analysts as a player who would leave after one season in college. If that decision is pending, it could impact the way the Blue Devils structure their offense next season. Rivers has been the main who player can create offense on his own for the Blue Devils this season.
REGULAR SEASON REVIEW: The Blue Devils hit a few rough spots at times and those overshadowed what was otherwise a strong season during which they made coach Mike Krzyzewski the all-time winningest Division I men's coach and put together solid credentials. They won the Maui Invitational against a quality field and faced one of the toughest schedules in the country on the way to the ACC portion of their schedule. The Blue Devils had a chance to win the regular-season title on the final weekend, so they remained in the championship chatter throughout the season.
ROSTER REPORT
-Junior F Mason Plumlee fouled out of a game for the first time this season when he exited the ACC tournament semifinal game against Florida State. In the previous game, he posted his 11th double-double of the season.
-Junior F Ryan Kelly missed the two ACC Tournament games with a foot injury sustained in a practice a few days prior to the tournament. He had played in 68 straight games across two seasons since he didn't play in the 2010 national championship game against Butler as a freshman.
-Sophomore G Tyler Thornton has made 12 consecutive starts. In both ACC tournament games, his 3-point baskets marked the first points for Duke. Thornton is primarily considered a key defensive weapon for the Blue Devils, and some teams have been willing to sag off him when Duke is on offense. In the ACC Tournament, 17 of his 20 shots came from 3-point range. He made only four of those long-range shots.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"When the Carolina game is about to start against Florida State (in the ACC Tournament title game), it won't be a good feeling. And that's what we have to remember going forward." -- Freshman G Austin Rivers as the Blue Devils' three-year run of ACC Tournament championships came to an end by falling in the semifinals to Florida State.
