Duke basketball stock on rise, Tar Heels in trouble

The Duke basketball squad and its rival are heading in opposite directions.

Matt Giles | Dec 5, 2022

Duke basketball stock on rise, Tar Heels in trouble /

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Duke Blue Devils

Duke basketball went 2-0 last week, picking up its first win over a ranked opponent by beating the still-No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes at home on Wednesday night before tallying its first ACC victory by defeating the unranked Boston College Eagles in Durham on Saturday.

And the AP Top 25 voters rewarded the Blue Devils (8-2, 1-0 ACC) for their wins — by a combined margin of 25 points — which came after a loss to the now-No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers in the Phil Knight Legacy title game a week earlier. Duke jumped from No. 17 to No. 15.

As for Duke's archrival, the UNC Tar Heels (5-4, 0-1 ACC), who began the season at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 and remained there until last week, have now lost four straight. That includes losses on the road in the past week to the now-No. 14 Indiana Hoosiers and the still-unranked Virginia Tech Hokies by a combined 20 points.

UNC fell from No. 18 to unranked this week.

Meanwhile, the Blue Devils are one of only two ACC teams in the latest AP Top 25. The other is the Virginia Cavaliers (7-0, 1-0 ACC) at No. 3, trailing the No. 1 Houston Cougars and No. 2 Texas Longhorns.

Duke's next outing is against the unranked Iowa Hawkeyes (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten) at 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesday as part of the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden. The Hawkeyes sit atop the "others receiving votes" group.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.

Published Dec 5, 2022

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.