DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke always has a target on its back, and the fourth-ranked Blue Devils figure it’s gotten bigger lately.
That’s because they’re entering this week’s Atlantic Coast Conference tournament as the defending champion and its No. 1 seed.
Mike Krzyzewski’s powerhouse program is the tournament favorite for the first time since 2006, when J.J. Redick was the star and the Blue Devils of the present were still in high school.
Center Brian Zoubek said Tuesday that their success this season has made other teams “want to get us even more.”
Duke (26-5, 13-3) shared the league’s regular-season crown with Maryland and won the tiebreaker to claim the top seed. The Blue Devils begin tournament play Friday against the Virginia-Boston College winner.
