Despite being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, Duke has been flying under the radar for most of the season. The Blue Devils have been playing in the shadow of Kentucky and their perfect season, but that is not the case anymore. The Duke Blue Devils finally have people paying attention as they head to the championship game while Kentucky heads home. However, the Blue Devils remain the underdog on Monday as Wisconsin is now the fan-favorite team of the tournament.
The Badgers are back in the spotlight after they were credited with sending the Kentucky Wildcats and their undefeated record home after a win in the Final Four game. Wisconsin certainly has all of the confidence in the world as they rightfully should after doing something no other team was capable this year and they are the reason Duke enters the championship game as underdogs despite their impressive roster and rich history.
Frank Kaminsky certainly gets a lot of the credit for getting the Badgers to the championship game. His 20 points and 11 rebounds helped turn Wisconsin around after a struggling stretch against Kentucky. The team had gone six minutes without a single point while the Wildcats went on a big run. However, Wisconsin certainly turned everything around to get the win. Sam Dekker came up with clutch long-range shots while Bronson Koenig went 7 for 8 from the line. The Badgers are looking for their first championship game in the last 74 years and this could be the roster that gets it.
The Blue Devils have a roster of McDonalds All-Americans and have yet been quietly winning while the world focused on Kentucky's run. Now Duke enters the championship game with Mike Krzyzewski looking for his fifth title ring. The team handed Michigan State a blowout win after running away in the first five minutes. A roster of Jahlil Okafor, Tyus jones, Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen proved to be too much. The Blue Devils do not lack for scoring abilities while their defense is limiting opponents to just 55 points per game.
Wisconsin might be the loveable goofballs from the Big Ten, but Duke enters with experience and a legacy on the line. While Vegas books have the Badgers as a slight favorite, the Blue Devils are ready for a spotlight of their very own and winning the championship would certainly get them that.
