Duke Enters ACC Tournament as Favorite to Win It All

Blue Devils look to dominate league in Charlotte after near-perfect regular season

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils are entering the ACC Tournament as the heavy favorites to win it all after dominating the league with a 17-1 record in conference play during the regular season. Led by Player of the Year candidate Cameron Boozer, who has averaged 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, Duke is riding an eight-game win streak and looking nearly unstoppable. While Virginia, Miami, and North Carolina are also in the mix, the Blue Devils appear poised to run the table in Charlotte this weekend.

Why it matters

Duke's dominance of the ACC this season has set them up as the clear favorites to win the conference tournament. A tournament title would further cement their status as one of the top teams in the country and potentially earn them a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the other top teams in the ACC will be looking to knock off the Blue Devils and prevent them from running the table.

The details

Duke ended the regular season on an eight-game win streak, capping it off with a 15-point victory over rival North Carolina. The Blue Devils' lone loss in ACC play came late in the season at North Carolina. Virginia holds the No. 2 seed after a 25-4 regular season, though the Cavaliers struggled in their matchup at Duke last month. Miami is the No. 3 seed, but the Hurricanes have lost two of their last five games. North Carolina will be without star Caleb Wilson, who was ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken thumb.

  • The ACC Tournament runs from March 10-14 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
  • Duke ended the regular season on an eight-game win streak on March 4.

The players

Cameron Boozer

Duke's star player and a leading candidate for ACC Player of the Year, averaging 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game this season.

Caleb Wilson

North Carolina's star player who was ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken thumb.

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What’s next

The ACC Tournament begins on March 10, with Duke set to play its first game on March 12 against the winner of the first-round matchup between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds.

The takeaway

Duke's dominant regular season has set them up as the clear favorites to win the ACC Tournament and potentially earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the other top teams in the conference will be looking to knock off the Blue Devils and prevent them from running the table in Charlotte.