College Basketball: Ranking the Nine “Blue Blood” programs

Duke

National Championships since 1960: 5
National Championships prior to 1960: 0
Final Four Appearances since 1960: 17
Final Four Appearances since 1960: 0
Regular Season Conference Championships since 1950: 20
Conference Tournament Championships since 1990: 14
Elite Eight Appearances: 23
Sweet Sixteen Appearances: 32
Every season with 30 or more wins since 1970: 16
Every season with 20 or more wins since 1970: 41
NCAA Tournament berths: 45

National Championships since 1960: 250 Points

National Championships prior to 1960: 0 Points

Final Four Appearances since 1960: 510 points

Final Four Appearances prior to 1960: 0 points

Regular Season Conference Championships since 1950: 400 points

Conference Tournament Championships since 1990: 210 points

Elite Eight Appearances: 230 points

Sweet Sixteen Appearances: 192 points

Every season with 30 or more wins since 1970: 80 points

Every season with 20 or more wins since 1970: 164 points

Every NCAA Tournament berth: 90 points

Total Points: 2,126

The Blue Devils’ history mostly reveals around legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski who lead Duke to five national titles before retiring from coaching. The Blue Devils had some famous players play at Duke that many know that includes Johnny Dawkins, Bobby Hurley, Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, J.J. Redick, and Zion Williamson.

Duke basketball is a major part of the culture in the state of North Carolina and has a traditional and heated rivalry with the Tar Heels. The Blue Devils have faithful and loyal fans, who established one of the best home-court atmospheres in college basketball. The Blue Devils’ home court is Cameron Indoor Stadium, which is known as “The Cameron Crazies” for its loud and passionate student section.

The Duke basketball program has achieved many team and individual accomplishments. The Blue Devils have had 10 players named National Player of the Year as well as 36 players named All-Americans. Duke has been the ACC Champions 20 times and also lays claim to a record 22 ACC conference tournament titles.

The Blue Devils have also ended their seasons ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll seven times and they are currently the all-time leader in total weeks ranked as the number one team in the country by the AP. Additionally, Duke has the third-longest streak in the AP Top 25 in history with 200 consecutive appearances from 1996 to 2007, trailing only two other blue blood programs in Kansas’s 231 consecutive polls from 2009 to 2021, and UCLA’s 221 consecutive polls from 1966 to 1980.

Hall of Fame Coach K is no longer on the sidelines for the Blue Devils but with Duke’s rich and long history of success on the court, they should continue to be one of the top college basketball programs for years to come.