How does one recover from a game with the magnitude of Wisconsin taking down the previously unbeaten Kentucky Wildcats? Bo Ryan and the Badgers are about to find one, and they better do it quickly.
Awaiting Wisconsin is the Duke Blue Devils, who made relatively easy work of Michigan State in their national semifinal before the world witnessed one of the best college basketball games of the season.
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Wisconsin and Duke will go head-to-head on Monday night, battling for the national championship and a chance to etch their name in the history books forever. These two teams are familiar with each other and, oddly, have taken similar deja vu paths to get to the final.
With their game against Wisconsin set, Duke would have to take down Michigan State and Wisconsin in back-to-back games. The Blue Devils faced both of these teams already this season, winning both games. The Badgers, meanwhile, just went through Arizona in the Elite Eight and Kentucky in the Final Four, the exact same opponents they were pitted against during the 2014 NCAA tournament in the exact same games.
Duke will be the only opponent rematch from this season, but it’s a bit odd to see how both teams have gone against familiar foes to get to where they are.
The Badgers will be going for their first national championship since 1941, which is six years before coach Bo Ryan was even born. That’s how long it’s been since Wisconsin was in this position, which is amazing when considering their consistency in winning.
The Blue Devils last won the championship in 2010 and this is their first time in the championship game since then. Under Mike Krzyzewski, Duke is 4-4 in national championship games, having won their last two appearances. Coach K’s teams are also 3-2 in national finals as a No. 1 seed.
An in-depth preview of Wisconsin and Duke’s battle for the national championship.
Next: Young and Relentless