The Duke Blue Devils (3) stumbled late in the season with some head-scratching losses, but they know they can no longer afford such types of games, starting with their game against the Mercer Bears (14).

Led by Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood, two high-scoring forwards who seem destined for the NBA this offseason, Duke will try to get back to the Final Four after a three-year absence. For those two, this tournament will be about creating a lasting memory despite a short stay at Duke.

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Parker, who missed out on ACC Player of the Year honors, was named the conference's Freshman of the Year. He told the Associated Press every game the Blue Devils play could be "the last time we might play together with the guys on the team."

Hood said the team is treating every game like it is their last because, well, "if we lose, it is."

Parker averaged 19.3 points per game and, right behind him, was Hood with 16.4 points per game. The big and athletic forwards are both likely to be NBA lottery draft choices in the offseason with Parker likely to be taken within the first three selections.

Parker has all but announced his plan to go pro, but still, coach Mike Krzyzewski is fully aware of his best player's plans.

"I wish we had him for more than one year," he told the AP.

While Duke is a perennial tournament team, Mercer is making their third appearance in school history and it first since 1985. Mercer has seven seniors on its roster and five of them have started every game, a polar opposite of Duke's young roster.

Mercer sees their experience as an advantage because several players have spent more than one year without making the NCAA Tournament. Maybe it will create enough hunger for the Bears to pull a massive upset, maybe they will just be outmatched.

"We get to develop our friendship, both on and off the court, as teammates and roommates and everything, really," guard Bug Thomas told the AP. "That helps us a lot and I think it's shown in the past, these past couple of years especially, with so many mid majors coming in."