Duke Basketball Defense Mirrors Past Championship Blue Devil Squads

Duke basketball’s recent defensive performances appear similar to at least a few successful Blue Devil seasons.

Duke basketball guard Tyrese Proctor / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

When the clock hit zero on Friday night in Dallas' American Airlines Center, Duke basketball secured its third straight victory with the 54-51 win over No. 1 seed Houston, leaving the No. 4 seed Blue Devils just one win away from getting back to the Final Four.

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It also marked the Blue Devils’ third straight stellar performance on the defensive end, holding their opponent to under 60 points in every single round of the NCAA Tournament thus far.

Duke also held all three opponents more than 20 points under their season scoring average. Vermont averaged 72 points per game, James Madison averaged 84, and Houston averaged 73; the Blue Devils held the three squads to 47, 55 and 51 points, respectively.

While it may seem to some that this recent run of defensive performances is just a string of good games, it actually fits a historical trend that may prove positive for Duke basketball’s title hopes.

In the past 15 seasons, the Blue Devils have allowed less than 60 points in their first three March Madness games just twice before this current run. The two previous times that happened were in 2010 and 2015.

In case anyone forgot, the Blue Devils ended both of those tournament runs as national champions.

"I'm just proud of what we've done," third-year head coach Scheyer, a star guard on the 2010 team and assistant under Mike Krzyzewski in 2015, explained to the media on Saturday afternoon after Blue Devil Country on SI asked how his current group's defensive capabilities stack up to 2010, 2015, and other all-time Duke defenses. "You have to guard the ball, first and foremost. Our perimeter has done a great job. Our back line has really moved well helping each other. That's been great to see.

Today's Elite 8 presser 🕺

🗣️ Coach Scheyer, Jerm, Flip & Rese pic.twitter.com/4XJnTWj5ue

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 30, 2024

"To hold our opponents to well below their season average, it's what your defense needs to do in the tournament. It needs to be elevated. I don't know where it compares right now to 2010 or 2015, but I do know it's at the level that it needs to be to have a chance to win in these moments. And then, each round you go, it needs to take another step up. NC State is a heck of a challenge, and we need to do that."

Both of those prior championship teams continued to play stellar defense throughout the tournament, with the 2015 team holding their final three opponents below 65 points and the 2010 team holding all below 75, allowing only one opponent above the 70-point threshold.

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If history repeats itself, Sunday’s matchup with the No. 11 seed Wolfpack in Dallas at 5:05 p.m. ET will be a key indicator of whether the Blue Devils have the defensive chops to have a shot at bringing home the sixth national championship in program history.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke basketball news.