"Paolo Banchero, he didn't settle" - Seth Greenberg believes Duke Blue Devils have the "championship DNA" to win NCAA championship
Paolo Banchero and the Duke Blue Devils have had an impressive run to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Ninth-ranked Duke (30-6) had lost two of its last four games heading into March Madness, possibly trending in the wrong direction.
However, after impressive wins in the opening rounds, many see Duke as a team that can win the national championship. The team has one of the nation's most talented rosters in the country. Behind talented freshman forward Paolo Banchero, Duke is becoming the team many thought they could become earlier in the year.
On ESPN's "Get Up" on Monday, college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg talked about what he's seen from Duke that has stood out in the last couple of games. The Blue Devils made a late push to fend off pesky Michigan State 85-76 on Sunday after rolling past CSU Fullerton 85-76 on Thursday.
"Paolo Banchero ... he didn't settle," Greenberg said. "They showed a championship DNA, a championship identity in the last five minutes of the game that could propel them to a championship in Coach K's last season."
.@SethOnHoops says we could see Duke win the NCAA championship 👀
"They showed a championship DNA, a championship identity in the last five minutes of the game that could propel them to a championship in Coach K's last season." https://t.co/ofB2H0zKCM
Paolo Banchero and the Duke Blue Devils starting to find their groove
Throughout the season, no team has had as much talent as the Duke Blue Devils. The roster features young phenoms, with five who could be selected in the first round of the NBA draft.
The star has been Banchero, who should be one of the first players selected in the upcoming draft. Banchero has started to find his groove. In his last eight games, Banchero has averaged 18.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 53.6%, including 40.0% from 3-point range.
was a game-changer @Pp_doesit
this block by 🅿️ was a game-changer @Pp_doesit https://t.co/83sWG1W3ac
With Banchero thriving, Duke looks like a team that can make a run towards the national championship. It won't be easy. The top four seeds in the West survived the opening weekend.
Next up, the Blue Devils face a Texas Tech team known for being one of the nation's most talented defensive squads.
Duke, a No. 2 seed in the West, will face 12th-ranked Texas Tech (27-9), a No. 3 seed, on Thursday in San Francisco, California. In the other West region semifinal, top-ranked and No. 1 overall national seed Gonzaga (28-3) faces 17th-ranked Arkansas (27-8), a No. 4 seed.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is seeking a 13th Final Four appearance, which would be a record, in his final season. The Hall of Famer is currently tied with the legendary John Wooden at 12.