The Blue Devils had the opportunity to use the ACC Tournament as a springboard for higher aspirations, instead NC State used Duke as a springboard for theirs. Duke was outplayed, out hustled and out-willed, losing 74-69 and making their trip to DC just a layover.
There isn’t too much good that comes of bowing out of a tournament as a high seed in your first game. Once again the Blue Devils started slowly and spent the whole game battling with a team that lost double-digit games this season, a team they dispatched by double-digits just ten days prior.