Duke basketball: 5 best seasons in Blue Devils history, ranked

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils during the first half during their game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at LJVM Coliseum Complex on February 25, 2020 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

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Elton Brand, Duke basketball /

Duke has a great basketball history, but who are their five best teams?

There isn’t a program with a more notorious basketball background then the Duke Blue Devils. A tradition of winning, one of the best home-court advantages in college basketball, and a Hall-of-Fame coach in Mike Krzyzewski who is regarded as one of the best to ever do it gives Duke basketball a tradition, unlike many other NCAA basketball teams.

When you think of college basketball you think of Duke, which has been a powerhouse since the game’s early days. There have been plenty of great teams to roam Cameron Indoor Stadium, including five national champions, but which squads are the greatest to ever wear Duke blue?

Let’s start with a team that doesn’t actually have a title but is still highly regarded for its dominance, the 1998-99 Blue Devils.

5. 1998-99 Duke basketball was the best that didn’t win it all

This group edges out the 2010 national champions because that title-winning squad wasn’t nearly as talented as the 1998-99 team. Led by Elton Brand and Shane Battier, the Blue Devils were one of the best teams that didn’t win a championship.

During the regular season, Duke went 29-1, with the lone defeat being a two-point loss against Cincinnati in the Great Alaska shootout. The Blue Devils steamrolled everyone until they hit the Final Four, where they snuck by Michigan State to set up a title-game showdown with UConn.

The oddsmakers installed Duke as 9.5 point favorites but they fell to the Huskies by three for the largest upset (in terms of point spreads) in championship game history. This team could have been Duke’s best if they finished the job, but they should still be recognized as one of the top Blue Devils’ squads ever.