Duke’s defeat to North Carolina was a stark reminder that on the basketball court, no team is unbeatable. The game didn’t just snap Jon Scheyer’s 10-game winning streak, but raised a question: Is Duke still unchallenged in the ACC conference? An experienced national analyst and columnist has shed light on this query while sharing his two-cent prediction on this equation.

Speaking of it, CBS Sports’ Inside College Basketball Columnist Gary Parrish ruled out the idea that any other team, including North Carolina, can possibly dethrone the Blue Devils from ACC supremacy.

“I buy into them (North Carolina) as a legitimate team to advance in the NCAA tournament,” Parrish said. “If things break the right way, could I see them at the Indianapolis Final Four? Sure, but I don’t think they’re a real challenger for Duke and the ACC. They’ve already got three conference losses. The fourth could be on the way.”

Parrish’s assessment of the Tar Heels as a Final Four candidate, while at the same time giving them no chance in the conference, shows how glorious Duke’s run has been. A moment of whisker and individual brilliance from Seth Trimble defined Scheyer’s team’s first conference loss. In contrast, Parrish believes these hurdles won’t come up often for the Duke Blue Devils, at least in the ACC.

“I just don’t think Duke is going to lose very often in that league,” he said. “The Blue Devils lost one over the weekend. Tremendous game but it’s not gonna happen too often, and Duke will be your ACC champion, and everybody, including Carolina playing for second.”

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The additional bold claim by Parrish isn’t without validation, though. Currently holding a 10-1 record in the conference regular season, Jon Scheyer’s team is at the top of the charts. It already makes their journey smoother than the other teams.

They will face powerhouses like Clemson and North Carolina only in the later stages of the tournament. And to nobody’s surprise, the Blue Devils have shown positive signs, suggesting they can ease past these teams. Scheyer’s team already proved it in the last ACC tournament, too, beating North Carolina and Louisville consecutively to win the conference Championship.

However, for now, the Duke Blue Devils have a tough stretch of upcoming games that needs to be addressed immediately.

Jon Scheyer and Duke are in Line to Face Their Toughest ACC Opponent Yet This Season

With a two-way skilled team, Jon Scheyer’s team has dominated top ACC teams like Louisville, defeating them twice and earning bold predictions from Gary Parrish. However, as the season has turned out, it seems the Duke Blue Devils have yet to face their toughest conference championship contender: the Clemson Tigers.

Besides Duke, the Clemson Tigers are the only team to have thrived immensely in the ACC this season. The Tigers are currently second in the conference, with a 10-1 record, similar to Duke. And it will all come down to the game on Friday (Feb. 13) as both teams look to surge to ACC dominance.

There’s no doubt that Scheyer’s team will be the favorites for the clash. And rightly so has received 87.9% chances of winning the game. However, the Tigers can’t be counted out this season. The Tigers have doubled down on consistency this season, with blowout wins over Pittsburgh and California. Their defense boasts of being one of the strongest in the country, allowing just 64.1 opp ppg this season.

A win against this in-form Clemson Tigers can truly validate Parrish’s bold prediction for Jon Scheyer’s team. Moreover, it will be a statement made by the Blue Devils, especially after the UNC defeat. Though it has clinched a win over Pittsburgh, downing a team with a March Madness ceiling can truly establish Duke as the firm favorites for the ACC Conference tournament.

The good news is that Duke will finally have home-court advantage after back-to-back road games. Barring that, the contest is equally poised. Can Scheyer’s team get past a strong Clemson Tigers, or will they submit to the tiring ACC play? Let us know your thoughts.