Is Duke still in March Madness 2023? Current status and qualification for Sweet 16 explored
In one word. No. Duke is no longer involved in March Madness 2023.
The Duke Blue Devils basketball team entered an NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1984 without legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.
First-year coach Jon Scheyer led the Blue Devils to a 27-9 (14-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) record. The team peaked at the right time. They won nine in a row, including the ACC Tournament.
The Blue Devils were the No. 5 seed in the East region when they traveled to Orlando, Florida, to play their first-round matchup.
The Devils used a huge first half to crush the hopes of No. 12 seed Oral Roberts making another Cinderella run. They cruised to a 74-51 victory behind guard Jeremy Roach’s 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
In the second round, the Blue Devils took on No. 4 seed Tennessee. The Devils were looking to advance to their 33rd Sweet 16 appearance in program history. Tennessee had not made the Sweet 16 since 2019.
Coach Scheyer: "I'm proud of our team. We had a great season. I'm hurting for these guys. They gave us everything you could ask for. They fought through adversity. They stuck together. I loved coaching them. It hurts. It stings. But I'm very grateful to have coached this team."
The Volunteers took it to the Blue Devils early, playing a physical style of basketball that threw Duke off at the jump.
Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua took over in the second half to spur Tennessee to a 65-52 victory. Duke stars Kyle Filipowski and Roach scored a combined 26 points in the loss.
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What does the future hold for Duke?
The Blue Devils have now failed to advance to the Sweet 16 in three of the six most recent tournaments. (Duke reached the Final Four last season in a grand sendoff for Coach K.)
Looking ahead to next year, junior Roach and freshman Filipowski have NBA decisions to make. Four of the team's five leading scorers are freshmen who may garner NBA attention and leave after one season in Durham, North Carolina. Some may enter the transfer portal, as well, due to Duke’s incoming talent.
According to 247Sports, the Blue Devils have the second-ranked incoming recruiting class. They have signed five five-star recruits. Mackenzie Mgbako headlines the class as the seventh-ranked player in the nation.
The Blue Devils will play yet another tough schedule next season with nonconference games against Arizona and Michigan State.