Belmont not exactly predicting upset of Duke

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Belmont Bruins are facing Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but it’s not a new experience.

Each of the previous two years, Belmont won the Atlantic Sun Conference championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. And each time, Belmont lost by more than 20 points to a past national champion and eventual Final Four participant: UCLA in 2006, Georgetown in 2007.

Now 15th-seeded Belmont faces No. 2 Duke today in the West Regional.

Forward Will Peeples says the team has joked that it’s trying to play every top team in the nation and after two years has a bit more confidence.