season preview: Duke

Duke Blue Devils

Media prediction: 1st

Last season:

Record: 35-5 (13-3) - ACC 1st seed
Postseason: NCAA 1 seed, national champions
KenPom: 1st of 347

Returning scoring: 62.9%
Returning rebounding: 51.5%
Returning assists: 47.9%

2009-'10 All-ACC:

1st team: G Jon Scheyer, F Kyle Singler
2nd team: G Nolan Smith
3rd team: none
Rookie: none
Defensive: F Lance Thomas

Starters:

PG: Andre Dawkins (So.)
SG: Nolan Smith (Sr.)
SF: Kyle Singler (Sr.)
PF: Mason Plumlee (So.)
C: Ryan Kelly (So.)

Bench:

G Seth Curry (So.)
F Miles Plumlee (Jr.)

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (30th season)

Schedule:

Once: Boston College (H), Clemson (H), Florida State (A), Georgia Tech (H), Virginia Tech (A), Wake Forest (A)
Twice: Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia

I'm mailing this one in and I'm not even ashamed to do it. Duke might be missing Kyrie Irving(and this preview assumes that he'll miss the season) but you don't need me to tell you they're good. The loss of Irving adjusts their expectations downward from repeat national champs to Final Four only. Boo hoo. With a somewhat watered-down ACC it will come as a complete surprise if they lose more than two games all year.