The question we’re going to ask here today is in the “rain on the parade” category a little bit, and it’s this—can this edition of Duke basketball be the one that will reverse what’s been a modest decline in recent seasons. With this week’s schedule showing road trips to Notre Dame on Wednesday (7:30 PM ET, ESPN2) and Virginia on Saturday (7 PM ET, ESPN) there’s no time for victory parties or historical reflection in Durham.
In today’s college basketball world, being interested in conference championships—in of themselves, not just a means to a better NCAA Tournament seed—has become somewhat anachronistic. In this regard, I’m proud to be a relic, because I still think finishing atop a 12-team league over the course of a 16-game regular season (or in some cases more) is a big deal for a basketball program regardless of what happens later in March. And therefore, tonight’s Duke-Florida State game (7 PM ET, ESPN) in Tallahassee is as significant a game as we’ve seen all year. TheSportsNotebook takes a deeper look at the matchup.