Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #7 UConn on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 72, to, 73
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Final
Men's Basketball
72
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73
Blue Devils Ranked No. 1 in AP Preseason Poll
10/28/2010 1:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. - The 2010-11 Associated Press men's basketball preseason poll listed Duke No. 1 with the Blue Devils receiving 55 of the 65 first place votes.
"Anytime a team is voted No. 1, it is an honor," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "We've been fortunate to be in that position several times at Duke and we are appreciative when people think so highly of us. However, we have a lot of work to do to get ready for the regular season. We have a talented, but developing, team. As always, our defense needs to be constant throughout the year in order to succeed at the highest level."
This marks the seventh time Duke has been the preseason No. 1 pick in the AP poll. The Blue Devils also started the season at the top of the polls in 1979, 1989, 1992, 1999, 2002 and 2006. Duke was ranked No. 1 following the 1991 and 2001 national championship seasons, repeating as national champs in 1992.
The other two schools who received first place votes are No. 2 Michigan State (8) and No. 3 Kansas State (2).
Rounding out the top 10 are No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Pittsburgh, No. 6 Villanova, No. 7 Kansas, No. 8 North Carolina, No. 9 Florida and No. 10 Syracuse.
The 2010-11 Duke team returns three starters and nine letterwinners from a team that won the NCAA National Championshiop, ACC Tournament championship, shared the ACC regular season title and won the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Among the returning letterwinners are senior captains and national player of the year candidates Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, who combined to average 35.1 points per game last season. The duo leads a group that also returns brothers Miles and Mason Plumlee down low along with sophomores Andre Dawkins (G) and Ryan Kelly (F). Adding to the team's depth will be transfer guard Seth Curry, who led the nation in freshman scoring in 2008-09 as well as three freshmen Kyrie Irving (G), Josh Hairston (F) and Tyler Thornton (G).
Duke has one more exhibition game prior to the start of the regular season. The Blue Devils will host Cal Poly Pomona in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4.
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