The Duke Blue Devils were expected to go on a deep NCAA Tournament run given the regular season they had, and they've done just that. They made a run to the Elite Eight rather comfortably, but were sure to face their toughest task of the tournament with No. 2-seeded Alabama waiting for them in Newark.
The Crimson Tide had just scored a whopping 113 points in their Sweet 16 win over No. 6 BYU. Sure, Duke's defense had been nothing short of elite all season long, but the Crimson Tide were a different beast offensively, at least on paper. Well, the Blue Devils not only held the Crimson Tide to 65 points, but they managed to score 85, winning their Elite Eight contest by 20 points. The Blue Devils were in control of this game essentially from start to finish.
As easy as Duke made things look in the East Region, the competition is sure to be stiffer with a trip to the National Championship on the line. The only caveat, though, is that we don't know who Duke is going to see in San Antonio yet.
Who do the Duke Blue Devils play in the Final Four after East Region onslaught?
Duke awaits the winner of Sunday's battle between No. 1 Houston and No. 2 Tennessee in the Midwest Region. Regardless of who wins this game, the Blue Devils are sure to have their hands full.
Both of these programs are battle-tested, and both are incredible defensively. The Blue Devils had to worry about how to stop the high-powered Crimson Tide offense on Saturday, but will have to worry about how to score against Houston or Tennessee in the Final Four.
The Volunteers are not only elite defensively, but have elite guard play consisting of Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler. Considering how well the Vols have played in the NCAA Tournament, it would not be shocking to see them upset the Cougars.
As scary as the Volunteers might be, they could be Duke's preferred matchup here due to the sheer fact that Houston would essentially be playing a home game if they were to advance. It's always tough to win a road game in college basketball, and it'd only be tougher in the Final Four. The Cougars having that advantage on top of having a loaded well-rounded roster could wind up resulting in the end of the line for Duke.
It won't be easy, but the Blue Devils have no reason not to be feeling extremely confident regardless of the opponent. They've been the most impressive team in the tournament, and should come out firing with a trip to the National Championship within their grasp.