Winner: Duke Extends Its Lead in the Triangle
Duke has separated itself from its Triangle rivals in recent years, finishing ahead of both North Carolina and NC State in the ACC standings in four of the past six seasons. Last year’s dominant 19-1 conference run underscored the gap, and a strong offseason has only widened it. With the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class—headlined by Cam and Cayden Boozer along with five-star guard Dame Sarr—the Blue Devils are firmly in the mix for preseason No. 1 alongside Purdue and Houston.
North Carolina, meanwhile, isn’t even the clear No. 2 in the ACC, with Louisville’s resurgence putting pressure on the Tar Heels. Hubert Davis faces a pivotal year, with expectations high and his seat already running hot.
As for NC State, first-year head coach Will Wade is expected to go through the typical transition pains, leaving the Wolfpack unlikely to mount a serious challenge.
For now, the dynamic in the ACC looks familiar: Duke at the top, with everyone else—UNC and NC State included—scrambling to keep up.
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