Despite some injuries and early-season setbacks, Duke basketball is on track to be included in March Madness as one of the contenders in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

In 60 days, college basketball teams across the nation will be preparing to watch the selection show on CBS. With the madness fastly approaching, there’s work to be done as hundreds of squads compete with hopes of securing a spot in the 68-team field on Selection Sunday (March 17).

Through 16 games, the seventh-ranked Blue Devils (13-3, 4-1 ACC) are tied for second place in the ACC, one game behind rival UNC (13-3, 5-0) in the standings.

Sophomore 7-footer Kyle Filipowski is averaging 18.2 points and 8.9 rebounds as one of the favorites to win several player of the year awards. Senior captain Jeremy Roach has been steady as the Blue Devils’ leader, averaging 14.6 points per game.

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Here’s a look at where the Blue Devils stand with two months left before March Madness.

Duke basketball’s NCAA Tournament resume 

Following an early-season loss to Arizona in November and back-to-back losses at Arkansas and Georgia Tech in December, Duke has looked like a new team in 2024.

The Blue Devils seized some momentum before the flip of the calendar with a resume-boosting win against No. 9 Baylor in New York City. Since its loss to Georgia Tech, Duke has won eight in a row and is currently No. 14 in the latest NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings.

Duke, which earned five Quadrant 1 wins and won the 2023 ACC Tournament last season, was a No. 5 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and lost to Tennessee in the second round.

The Blue Devils are 2-1 against Q1 opponents this season and 11-2 in Q2-Q4 games.

Their marquee wins came against Baylor (No. 13 in the NET) and Michigan State (20). According to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, Duke is projected to be a No. 3 seed. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports and the Bracket Matrix’s formula also have the Blue Devils on the 3-seed line.

What’s next for the Blue Devils before March Madness? 

Duke has dealt with injuries to three of its starters — Tyrese Proctor, Jeremy Roach and Mark Mitchell — but the Blue Devils will have plenty of chances to improve their seeding in the next two months.

Duke is currently scheduled to six Q1 games: at Virginia Tech (Jan. 29), at UNC (Feb. 3), at Miami (Feb. 21), at Wake Forest (Feb. 24), at NC State (March 4) and UNC (March 9). When healthy, the Devils are a dangerous bunch.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball 2024 NCAA Tournament: Blue Devils March Madness resume