The Wooden Award is college basketball’s version of the MVP trophy, and when the list of finalists was whittled down to just 25, Duke standouts Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry made the coveted list. The Blue Devils joined the Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers as the only schools with two players making the cut, and with Duke sitting at No.1 in the country, it’s well deserved. Plumlee, the standout power forward, is thought to be leading the pack as he’s putting up staggering numbers this season. So far, the 6’10” senior is averaging 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Curry, the senior guard, is averaging 16 points per game while shooting a blistering 41% from beyond the arc.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s has Duke (15-0) playing in top form, as they’ve already taken out three top five teams this season, including the then-No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats, No. 2 Louisville Cardinals, and No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes. With conference play just starting, the Blue Devils are set to play their only ranked ACC opponent on Saturday, January 12th, when they’ll make their way to Raleigh to take on the No. 20 N.C. State Wolfpack. Hot-shooting senior forward Ryan Kelly was injured against Clemson, but this is a loaded squad who can still get the job done. And hopefully he'll be back for the always-epic Duke vs UNC game on February 13th. Be sure to claim your Duke Blue Devils tickets to see if they can remain undefeated on their quest for March Madness glory.