In order for Duke to celebrate a national championship and cut down the net in Mike Krzyzewski's farewell season as head coach, they'll need to navigate a challenging road to the Final Four. As the 2nd-seed in the West Region, the Blue Devils have been grouped with top-seeded Gonzaga, 3rd-seeded Texas Tech, and three other teams that are currently ranked inside the AP top-25.
Despite the landmines and potential roadblocks, Duke is still a top-six favorite to reach the Final Four in New Orleans, and capture the school's sixth national title. And former Blue Devils star Carlos Boozer is so confident in Krzyzewski's group, that he's placed a mammoth bet on his alma mater to write the perfect ending to the coaching legend's story. Embracing the madness of March.
"I have a $50,000 bet for Duke to win the whole thing. When I took the bet, they were 12 to 1. If they win the whole thing, I'll get $600,000," Boozer told the Maggie and Perloff show on Tuesday. "You know, it's Coach K's last year, and I believe in him. This team has had the biggest microscope on them all season, being at Coach K's last home game. So, every game is magnified.
"They're young, but they've grown up during this season... I just think that they've had so much pressure on them. Because the NCAA Tournament is nothing but pressure, they're a little more prepared than most for this next stretch of games. So, I'm looking forward to seeing them. Especially if they can play better defense, they'll have a chance to cut the nets down."
Duke didn't end the regular season on the highest of notes. In Krzyzewski's final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, they stunningly lost by double digits against archrival North Carolina, and as the top seed in the ACC tournament, they were upset by Virginia Tech in the championship. The Blue Devils' most important games have arrived, and they've certainly appeared vulnerable.
This year's edition of March Madness begins on Tuesday, with the traditional 'First Four' games in Dayton. Duke's journey to the Final Four starts on Friday, with a first-round matchup against 15th-seeded Cal State Fullerton. According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, the Blue Devils have a 38-percent chance to make the Elite Eight, an 11-percent chance to reach the Final Four, and only a 3-percent chance to win the national title.
The entire Duke hoops conversation between Boozer and Maggie and Perloff can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Maggie and Perloff Show on Twitter @MaggieandPerl and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.