One of the biggest disappointments of the 2020-21 NCAA basketball season has been the Duke Blue Devils. Ranked number #9 in the preseason AP Poll, they are currently #10 and will go down further following their loss to Illinois on Tuesday.

Following this loss, Coach Mike Krzyzewski questioned the need to play basketball during the coronavirus pandemic. He was immediately hit by a lot of criticism for this. Many Twitter users said it was just excuses for Duke’s poor start. This criticism has now doubled after Duke canceled their non-conference games for the rest of the season.

“This is the best decision we could make as a program, in making sure that we are doing the right thing for our players,” Coach K said. “This will also allow our team to have time over the holidays to safely enjoy with their families. These kids need to be with their families, at least for a little bit… These kids go through so much, and we need to take care of them.”

Jeff Goodman from the Stadium also pointed out that Coach K was always against non-conference games. He wanted the season to start in January, but it never happened.

The bright side to this is that the students are able to spend time with their families for Christmas. It will also help them to follow the University’s campus protocols regarding travel.

‘We’re Just Plowing Through This’- Coach Mike Krzyzewski Wants NCAA to Re-Assess Season

What’s next for the Duke Blue Devils?

This announcement indicates that three of their games have been shelved. Their games against Charleston Southern and Elon, which had already been postponed due to COVID protocols, will now be canceled, while the upcoming December 19 game against Gardener-Webb has also been canceled.

Their next game is against Notre Dame, who just came off a loss against Ohio State. Notre Dame have been suffering from roster issues from the start of the season. They would have had a much stronger start, if not for those injuries. The Fighting Irish have still shown fight, and it won’t be surprising if they end up winning against the Blue Devils.

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It has been a rough start for Duke so far, and a win against Notre Dame should provide them with a boost for the rest of the season.

Are Roster Issues Holding Back the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from Having a Successful Season?