Is Duke still in March Madness? Looking at Blue Devils' chances of clinching 2024 NCAA tournament title

For now, the Duke Blue Devils have avoided being among the top-ranked teams to fall to a lower seed in the earlier rounds. The boys from Durham fell short of capturing an ACC title, but they could afford to let that go as they`re likely after a far more important trophy.

That said, here`s a look at their current situation in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Is Duke still in March Madness?

Yes, they are. The No. 4 Blue Devils are currently in the Sweet 16 and set to face the top-seeded Houston Cougars on Friday.

Head coach Jon Scheyer has led Duke to their second-straight Tournament appearance in as many seasons, and they`ve also returned to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Mike Krzyzewski`s final year at the helm in 2022. It is also the first year that Scheyer has led the Blue Devils past the second round during his current stint.

Duke got here after handily beating No. 13 Vermont, 64-47 then No. 12 James Madison, 93-55. They haven`t had many problems during the first two rounds, so it`s perhaps fitting that they face the nation`s toughest defense on their way to reclaiming lost NCAA basketball glory.

Can Duke win the national title this year?

One can argue that Duke certainly has the roster to contend, with star center Kyle Filipowski holding down the middle and Jared McCain lighting up the scoreboard like a man possessed. But for now, they`re facing their toughest test yet against the No. 1 Houston Cougars, which is known for their suffocating defense.

Current odds put Houston as the favorite, but only by a slim margin (-3.5), with O/U 134.5 (via Sporting News). This means that bettors believe the Cougars could win, but not without surviving a hard-fought battle. This could be due to the Blue Devils having one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, being 47th in scoring and 71st in assists. They`re also shooting 48.2% from the field, which is 24th in the nation.

Generally, Duke`s odds of winning the title are at +2300 right now (via FOX Sports).

Has Duke ever won the NCAA tournament?

Yes, they have. The Duke Blue Devils have won five total championships in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2015. They currently have the fourth most national titles in NCAA men`s basketball history, following UCLA (11), Kentucky (8) and North Carolina (6).

Furthermore, the Blue Devils also have the fifth-most NCAA Tournament appearances with 46 in total. As for Sweet 16 appearances, Duke boasts 33 total including this year.