Is Duke out of the NCAA tournament? Taking a look at Blue Devils' March Madness chances following NC State loss

The Duke Blue Devils were on the end of a surprise 74-69 loss to the NC State Wolfpack in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, a few days after beating them 79-64 during a regular season game.

With that loss, are the Blue Devils out of the NCAA Tournament, which starts in a few days?

Is Duke out of the NCAA tournament?

No, Duke is still in contention for March Madness and will be a team to watch out for during Selection Sunday, although possibly as a lower seed.

The Duke Blue Devils started slowly in the game against the NC State Wolfpack, conceding the game's first nine points. During his postgame news conference, coach Jon Scheyer addressed the slow start.

“It’s happened three games in a row,” Scheyer said. “That’s a concern. That’s a big concern. Even the start of the second half was the same way. So, as a coach, we have to, I’ll have to figure out how to get that message across better or differently.

“I think for us, it’s about the competitive fire you need to have in the postseason.”

Kyle Filipowski, who has had a controversial last few weeks, finished the game with 28 points, 14 rebounds and one assist on 65% shooting.

Speaking to the media after the game, the outspoken Filipowski referenced last year's team that won 10 consecutive games before losing in March Madness second round 65-52 to the Tennessee Volunteers.

“NC State wanted it more than us,” Filipowski said. “I think that was kind of the biggest thing. We, this postseason, I mean, just speaking back to Tennessee last year, they wanted it more than us. These teams are so different in the postseason.

“There’s still another level to it in the postseason, and we got to learn, we got to be one of those teams. We can’t expect to win. We can’t be entitled. We’ve had a really good year, but that doesn’t mean anything now. I think just overall as a group, we’ve got to want it more than the other team. Because if not, then it’s gonna be the same situation.”

Duke forward Mark Mitchell, who registered 18 points, eight rebounds and one assist during the game, spoke about what went wrong for his team.

“You never want to come out like that,” Mitchell said. “They came out and punched us in the mouth early, and I think they did that in Raleigh, too, but we just responded. Tonight, we couldn’t get it together.”

The Blue Devils will likely be seeded lower than expected during March Madness, making the tournament tougher than it should have been for the school.

Has Duke ever won the NCAA tournament?

Yes, Duke has won five national championships throughout its storied history. Although it does not rank among the highest number of March Madness wins, the Blue Devils have been an important part of college basketball history.

Throughout the years, Hall of Famers like Christian Laettnerr, Grant Hill, Coach K, as well as players like JJ Reddick have donned the Blue Devils jersey, contributing to pure dominance in the ACC, and in the Big Dance.

Who are the likely top four teams for March Madness?

The NCAA tournament has lived up to its nickname, meaning, any seed can upset a top opponent on any given day. It's not a surprise to assume the same will be the case in this year's March Madness.

While predicting the top four teams in the NCAA tournament is not any easy task, there are some programs that have solidified their status as potential national champions. These teams include the Houston Cougars, the Purdue Boilermakers, the UConn Huskies, and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Although Tennessee was upset by Mississippi State in the SEC tournament, there is no reason to believe why Dalton Knecht and co. won't learn from these mistakes and put up a strong fight for whoever comes their way following Selection Sunday.