The Duke Blue Devils nearly broke the 100-point barrier again on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, defeating the Miami Hurricanes 97-60 for their third win of at least 36 points in the last four games.
Cooper Flagg and his teammates have looked better than ever since their road setback to the Clemson Tigers, averaging 94.2 points and allowing 63.2 in five straight wins. As a result, Duke has established a commanding lead in the KenPom efficiency rankings, with one of the strongest net scores in the site’s history.
KenPom tracks teams based on points scored and points allowed per 100 possessions, with some adjustments for strength of schedule, to determine how badly a team would beat an average team over that time period. As of Wednesday morning, the Blue Devils’ net rating was +38.72. No club has finished above +38 this century, and the 2000-01 Blue Devils (+37.32) are the only roster to do so in the previous 25 seasons.
The Auburn Tigers spent the majority of the season at No. 1, and only five teams in the KenPom era (tracking began in 1996-97) have a net rating greater than their +36.10, but Duke’s recent performance has left the SEC frontrunner in the dust.
The remaining top five teams are the Houston Cougars, Florida Gators, and Tennessee Volunteers. The gap between Duke and the Alabama Crimson Tide in sixth place is greater than the one between Alabama and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 31st place.
Through 28 games, the Blue Devils are second in the nation in terms of points per 100 possessions (128.6) and fourth on defense (89.9 points allowed). Only three other teams (Auburn, Florida, and Houston) are in the top ten in both categories, with Duke ranking in the top six on offense and defense.
