Men's college basketball Power Rankings: Duke rises to No. 1 - ESPN

For a team with the cachet of Duke, it's a testament to the strength of this season's contenders that it took this long for the Blue Devils to rise to No. 1 in the AP poll and these Power Rankings.

But there was zero debate about their ascension this week, particularly after they looked so impressive in their win over Michigan in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night. They looked every bit like the nation's best defensive team, keeping the Wolverines off the offensive glass and out of transition. And while the Blue Devils don't look as explosive on the offensive end as some of the other top teams, they sandwiched that Michigan win with games against Syracuse and Notre Dame in which they scored 201 total points.

(Of course, it helps that they have National Player of the Year favorite Cameron Boozer leading the way.)

The question now becomes: Can any team pass Duke — or do the Blue Devils have the inside track to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament?

They have three games to go: vs. Virginia, at NC State and vs. North Carolina. Three top-30-caliber opponents; three chances to improve their 1-seed profile. They are first in the NET rankings, third in average résumé metrics and second in average predictive metrics. And they are tied with Arizona with 12 Quadrant 1 wins.

The Blue Devils would have to lose in order to lose their position, and with less than three weeks until Selection Sunday, they have the edge moving forward.

Previous ranking: 2

Jon Scheyer isn't getting enough credit for the coaching job he has done this season, with limited buzz for National Coach of the Year honors. Sure, it's Duke, and he has the best player in the country headlining the No. 1 recruiting class. But the Blue Devils are the No. 1