Duke basketball: 2010-2011 edition

Coming into the 2001-2002 season Duke's men's basketball team was well positioned for another successful year. They had won the title in 2001 and returned many of the same players. Sure seniors Shane Battier and Nate James had graduated, but those players were replaced with talented transfer Dahntay Jones and freshmen point guard Daniel Ewing. However, the main reason for the optimism was that Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy were returning instead of opting for the NBA draft. The talent was definitely there especially considering there were 6 players on that team that would end up playing in the NBA. There was no surprise when they were the preseason #1 ranked team.



The 2001-2002 team finished the year 31-4 with a 13-3 record in the ACC. They ended up losing to eventual national runner-up Indiana by one point in a game that was considered the biggest upset in the tournament. After the year Williams, Boozer and Dunleavy left to go to the NBA.

Coming into the 2010-2011 season Duke's men's basketball was well positioned for another successful year. They had won the title in 2010 and returned many of the same players. Sure seniors Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas had graduated, but those players were replaced with talented transfer Seth Curry and freshmen point guard Kyrie Irving. However, the main reason for optimism was that Nolan Smith, Kyle Sinlger and Mason Plumlee were returning instead of opting for the NBA draft. The talent was definitely there especially considering there were 4 players on the team that were projected to play in the NBA. There was no surprise when they were the preseason #1 ranked team.



The 2010-2011 season has seen Duke go 27-4 with a 13-3 record in the ACC. How will they do in the NCAA tournament? As evidenced by my last post I think this team will lose in the Sweet Sixteen and thus match the 2001-2002 Duke season in almost every conceivable manner.