Duke is at the top but can not relax

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After recovering Zion Williamson from a knee injury and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Duke was named the NCA's No. 1 overall favorite. field. The Blue Devils will be a big favorite to go to the Final Four in Minneapolis, but it will not be a defeat. The biggest hurdle could be Michigan State, which shares the Big Ten regular season title and won the conference tournament. The state of Michigan may have been the strongest case for one of South America's number 1 counters, but it ended up with a tougher road than Michigan, which is number 2 behind Gonzaga in the West.

  • 1. Duke (29-5) vs. 16. N.C. Central / N. Dakota Street

  • 8. Virginia Commonwealth (25-7) vs 9. Central Florida (23-8)

  • 5. State of Mississippi (23-10) vs. 12. Freedom (28-6)

  • 4. Virginia Tech (24-8) vs. 13. St. Louis (23-12)

  • 3. State of Louisiana (26-6) vs. 14. Yale (22-7)

  • 6. Maryland (22-10) vs. 11. Belmont / Temple

  • 7. Louisville (20-13) vs. 10. Minnesota (21-13)

  • 2. State of Michigan (28-6) vs. 15. Bradley (20-14)

Long before Zion Williamson Mania swept America this season, a Canadian was the "it" in Duke's freshman class.

R.J. Barrett, a 6-foot-7 product from Mississauga, Ont., Was the # 1 player in his high school class and the No. 1 projected NBB candidate. draft until the beginning of the season. The son of former St. John's Rowan Barrett and Kesha Barrett (formerly Kesha Duhaney), a nationally ranked sprinter and long jump for the Red Storm, Barrett had high-level genes in his genes.

After deciding to continue his basketball career at an American preparation center, southpaw Barrett led the Montverde Academy of Florida to a 35-0 record. a national championship sweeping each trophy of the national major player of the year.

This could have resulted in frictions or even jealousy between Williamson and Barrett, which were already discussed as a lottery choice before choosing a college. But what many do not know is that Barrett helped persuade Williamson to commit to Duke. Their friendship flourished during a group discussion initiated by another Duke recruit, rookie leader Tre Jones, who set it up after he tried to persuade Barrett and Williamson to join him in Durham. , NC

This early familiarity facilitated the initiation of the three players to the rigors of A.C.C. basketball – and to live together one of the best teams in the country.

"The beauty of this year's team is that it is very comfortable with what it is, so there is not much of jealousy, "said ex-star Duke Grant Hill. "There is a real friendship and a bond, especially with these young guys, so there is not this competitive rivalry."

It's only after college basketball has realized how Williamson is unusually powerful and explosive that Barrett has "slipped" to N.B.A's choice of second choice. Rough draft. Still, it is the silky Barrett who leads the Blue Devils scoring around 23 points per game, while almost matching Williamson in rebounds and Jones in aids.

And while many are considering Williamson's seemingly unlimited potential, some believe that Barrett's full-length game and his 6-foot-7 frame make him – for the moment – a better fit for the N.B.A.

"We will certainly be happy for each other," Barrett Last month, he announced to NCAA.com the opportunity to rank first and second of the project with Williamson. "Whoever is 1 or 2 years old does not really matter to us. I will be happy for my brother. We have been working together for a long time, so we are happy to see ourselves succeed. "

Charles Barkley, an analyst at Turner Sports, is part of the group that argues that Barrett still deserves to be considered for the number one choice. After all, it's Barrett, not Williamson, who set the first record year with 779 points this season. He also averaged 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

"His skills are Jalen Rose, James Harden, somewhere in between," Barkley said last week at an event in Manhattan. "You can not tell until you reach the pros." ADAM ZAGORIA

The Eastern region presents more than a whiff of scandal. Louisiana State coach Will Wade suspended after being charged has boasted of a telephone conversation listened to on making an offer to a recruit; the Tigers will tackle Yale, whose sports department (but not his basketball team) has been dragged into the midst of a massive university admissions scandal. In another match, Minnesota, coached by Richard Pitino, will face Louisville, who sacked his father, Rick, in 2017. KEVIN DRAPER

Belmont has won 26 games, but was eliminated by Sunday's selection after losing to Murray State in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament final. The Bruins' reward for patience is a midweek match against Temple, but it's always better than watching at home. KEVIN DRAPER

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