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This article is part of a series of top North Carolina athletes and teams. As North Carolina sports betting launched in March 2024, take a look at the top athletes across North Carolina college and professional sports.
Duke is one the most successful programs in college basketball history thanks to a strong run with Coach K. How many national championships has Duke won in basketball? Take a look at the Duke national championships, Final Fours, and team history for the program that resides in North Carolina.
List of Duke Basketball National Championships
The Duke Blue Devils have won 5 national championships in men’s basketball in school history. They took home the titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015. The Blue Devils most recent championship was a 68-63 win over Wisconsin back in 2015. Tyus Jones won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award. He then entered the NBA Draft with other Duke stars, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow.
The school won its first title in 1991 under Coach Mike Krzyzewski with the help of all-time great Duke players like Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, and Christian Laettner. That core helped the Blue Devils win another title in 1992 to claim back-to-back crowns. Take a look at who the Blue Devils beat to win their National Championships.
Read More: How many titles does rival UNC have?
| Year | Winner | Score | Loser |
| 1991 | Duke | 72–65 | Kansas |
| 1992 | Duke | 71–51 | Michigan |
| 2001 | Duke | 82–72 | Arizona |
| 2010 | Duke | 61–59 | Butler |
| 2015 | Duke | 68–63 | Wisconsin |
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Duke’s National Championship Appearances
Duke has played in the national championship 11 times with runner-up finishes in 1964, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1999. The Blue Devils had some tremendous teams that failed to win a title including in 1998-99 when the Blue Devils were 37-1 heading into the National Championship game. They ended up falling to UConn 77-74.
Take a look at the team’s history playing in college basketball’s title game.
| Year | Winning team | Score | Losing team |
| 1964 | UCLA | 98–83 | Duke |
| 1978 | Kentucky | 94–88 | Duke |
| 1986 | Louisville | 72–69 | Duke |
| 1990 | UNLV | 103–73 | Duke |
| 1991 | Duke | 72–65 | Kansas |
| 1992 | Duke | 71–51 | Michigan |
| 1994 | Arkansas | 76–72 | Duke |
| 1999 | Connecticut | 77–74 | Duke |
| 2001 | Duke | 82–72 | Arizona |
| 2010 | Duke | 61–59 | Butler |
| 2015 | Duke | 68–63 | Wisconsin |
Read More: NC State titles and history
How Many Final Fours Has Duke Made?
Duke has made the Final Four 17 times to cement itself as one of history’s most prestigious college basketball schools. The Blue Devils most recently made the Final Four in 2022 where they lost to rival North Carolina 81-77. Check out every time Duke reached the Final Four in school history.
| Season | Record | Tournament Result | Coach |
| 1962-63 | 27-3 | Lost in Final Four | Vic Bubas |
| 1963-64 | 26-5 | Lost in National Championship | Vic Bubas |
| 1965-66 | 26-4 | Lost in Final Four | Vic Bubas |
| 1977-78 | 27-7 | Lost in National Championship | Bill E. Foster |
| 1985-86 | 37-3 | Lost in National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1987-88 | 28-7 | Lost in Final Four | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1988-89 | 28-8 | Lost in Final Four | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1989-90 | 29-9 | Lost in National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1990-91 | 32-7 | Won National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1991-92 | 34-2 | Won National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1993-94 | 28-6 | Lost in National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 1998-99 | 37-2 | Lost in National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 2000-01 | 35-4 | Won National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 2003-04 | 31-6 | Lost in Final Four | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 2009-10 | 35-5 | Won National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 2014-15 | 35-4 | Won National Championship | Mike Krzyzewski |
| 2021-22 | 32-7 | Lost in Final Four | Mike Krzyzewski |
Read more: UNC vs Duke. Which all-time team wins?
Coach with the Most Duke National Championships
Coach Mike Krzyzewski is the king among coaches in Duke history. He is the only coach to win a national title and he won the big game 5 times in his career. Take a look at some of Coach K’s accolades as one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time. He retired from Duke after the 2021-22 NCAA basketball season. Coach K coached some of the best Duke players ever along the way.
Read More: Best NBA players from North Carolina
More on Duke’s Basketball History
The Blue Devils have a long list of team and individual player accolades. Duke has won the ACC Championship a record 22 times while finishing number 1 in the AP Poll to end the season 8 times. Check out some more impressive feats the Duke basketball program has achieved.
Read more North Carolina content: The best NBA players and NFL players born in NC
