It is not just some who are anticipating that Duke will be upset during the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Turns out it is one of their own.
On Tuesday, former Duke player and coach turned ESPN analyst Jay Bilas is joining the club of Blue Devil doubters, per The Rich Eisen Show. Altogether, Bilas is picking Arizona, Michigan State, Iowa State, and Illinois to reach the Final Four.
“You know Duke’s got a couple of injuries that they’re dealing with right now, and I do think in all seriousness, I think they got the most difficult region,” Bilas said. “These are kind of fliers because I think this year is going to be different. I don’t think it’s going to be as chalky.”
“Michigan State’s really experienced, and I kind of went with that even though Duke is a better team. If it were a seven-game series, I’d take Duke and Michigan to win their regions, but it’s not, it’s a one-game and out thing”.
Meanwhile, Duke is a No.1 seed in the East Region. On Thursday, they will play against Siena in their First Round matchup. Last Sunday, the Blue Devils won their 24th ACC Tournament, defeating Virginia 84-70.
If anything, Bilas is looking to redeem himself from last season. Then, he picked all the No.1 seeds to reach the Final Four. Last year, all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four, including Duke, Florida, Houston, and Auburn. Ultimately, the Blue Devils lost in the national semifinal to Houston 70-67. Then, Florida defeated Houston in the national title game 65-63.
