The Blue Devils are 4-0 with wins over Princeton, Miami (OH), Colgate and Marquette. The Blue Devils return 2 starters from last season (a squad that posted a 35-5 overall record, including a 13-3 mark in ACC play and won the National Championship). The Blue Devils are projected to win the ACC.
The Blue Devils are lead by G's Nolan Smith, Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins and F's Kyle Singler and Mason Plumlee. Smith is averaging 17 points/game (leads the team), 5 rebounds/game and 6 assists/game. It will be interesting to see whether Smith can continue to improve his game. He spent the first half of last summer repeating the brutal off-season regime that paid off so handsomely last year. Smith would work out two times a day with a personal trainer, then join several of his close friends -- including NBA standouts such as Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley -- in nightly pickup games.
Irving is averaging 14 points/game, 4 rebounds/game and 7 assists/game (leads the team). Irving showed off his skill in leading the U.S. U18 basketball team to the world championship last summer -- he chipped in 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a dramatic title game victory over Brazil. Earlier, he put on a dazzling display in the Jordan Brand Classic in New York, scoring 12 of his game-high 22 points as he almost singlehandedly led the East back from a 12-point deficit in the final two minutes of that all-star game.
Curry is averaging 11 points/game, 2 rebounds/game and 2 assists/game. Curry, a transfer from Liberty, was the nation's leading freshman scorer while at Liberty. He'll be more than capable against ACC competition because two of his best games while at Liberty were against Virginia and Clemson.
Dawkins is averaging 11 points/game, 3 rebounds/game and 1 assist/game. Dawkins played a small but critical role for the Blue Devils off the bench -- Duke might not have gotten past Baylor in the regional finals without two crucial three-pointers from the freshman sharpshooter late in the first half when the Bears seemed to be taking control of the game.
Singler is averaging 14 points/game, 6 rebounds/game and 1 assist/game. Singler, the MVP of the ACC tournament and the most outstanding player in the Final Four, played the first two years of his collegiate career in the post but moved to the wing last season.
Plumlee is averaging 12 points/game, 9 rebounds/game (leads the team) and 2 assists/game. Plumlee was one of 6 potential first round NBA draft picks that didn't turn pro last season (and one of the others was Singler). The younger of the two Plumlee brothers suffered a setback going into last year when he broke his wrist during preseason workouts. He missed a month and struggled to find a role but emerged as an energy guy off the bench during the Blue Devils run to the National Championship.
The talent and the experience are there for another national championship run. It will be Coach K's fourth attempt to win back-to-back titles -- he's one-for-three in his repeat bids so far. This team is loaded on the bench, backcourt and frontcourt and it will be a tremendous challenge if our Cats want to pull off the upset but, as we all know, if the Cats go out and put up the fight that we know that we're capable of, maybe the nation will be talking about our Cats tomorrow.
