When Duke lost at home to North Carolina at the beginning of February, conventional wisdom held that the Blue Devils were finished. Any true believers who thought otherwise were then further tested when Mike Krzyzewski's team proceeded to lose its next game, at Notre Dame.
Duke hasn't lost since. The Blue Devils have posted victories at NC State, at Wake Forest and, most crucially, at home against Virginia and now Syracuse.
This sudden turn of fortune for what was previously a 7-8 team has brought Coach K's program at least within shouting distance of a 25th consecutive NCAA tournament bid.