CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. -- There's certainly something odd about hearing that Duke gets no respect, but maybe there's something to it.

The Blue Devils have won eight games in a row and have the "big three" ... plus so much more.

Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith have received most of the accolades offensively. Never mind that Smith managed just five points in Sunday night's 67-49 win over Virginia at John Paul Jones Arena.

The trio is averaging a combined 52 points. Add in five other players at about five points each, and the Blue Devils have a variety of options that few teams can match.

I mean, there aren't many teams with the type of outside shooting that the Blue Devils have displayed regularly. Their 39.1-percent accuracy from 3-point range is close to what Duke opponents are shooting overall (40.3 percent).

The J.J. Redick era at Duke was characterized by a perimeter-first offense.

At Cameron Indoor Stadium, the cheers for a net-ripping 3-pointer often are louder than those for a rim-rattling dunk.

The main difference, of course, is that the percentages favor a team that hammers the ball inside. Shots outside the arc are high-reward, but sometimes you live by the sword and die by the sword if that's your main option offensively.

Singler is dangerous from outside -- 2-of-5 on 3-point attempts vs. Virginia -- and more than capable of maneuvering down low against slower defenders.

Add in solid contributions by Brian Zoubek and Miles and Mason Plumlee, and there are plenty of reasons the Blue Devils have moved up to No. 4 in the Top 25 poll.

"I like to watch a lot of games, because that's your competition," Scheyer said. "I think we can match up with a lot of teams. I think our backcourt gives us a real strength where we can match up against any backcourt.

"The way our big guys have been playing, we have four really good big guys and that gives us bodies when you play a guy like [Kansas center] Cole Aldrich or guys like that -- [Kentucky's] DeMarcus Cousins. ... We have bodies to go against any type of big guy."

In fact, Duke could have a championship combination of inside-outside production -- time will tell.

The same is true of the Blue Devils' defense, where switches rarely leave the opponent with an advantage.

Anyone who doesn't think Scheyer is capable of playing point guard, offensively and defensively, either hasn't been paying attention or believes that Globetrotter-esque dribbling skills are a fundamental requirement for the position.

In the second half against Virginia, Scheyer's anticipation of a pass put him in position to get the tip of a finger on the ball. He then dove to the floor -- and no, UVa. fans; it's not travelling if you're sliding on your bottom -- then passed the ball to set up a breakaway layup.

Still, the Blue Devils continue to face questions about their athleticism.

"We don't depend on one guy," Scheyer said. "With our athleticism, you have Lance Thomas as a four guy who can guard, basically, one through five. The versatility we have on defense is a big thing for us -- our athleticism and our ability to switch.

"Offensively, the way we move the ball and screen for each other, I think that's something we haven't done in the past. That really helps us a lot offensively, ... makes it easier to handle the pressure."

Two games remain on Duke's regular-season schedule -- at No. 22 Maryland on Wednesday night and senior night at Cameron against North Carolina on Saturday.

A victory over the Terps would give the Blue Devils the top seed at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro.

But Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski doesn't expect his team to scare anyone away, nor is he concerned about where the Blue Devils fit into the NCAA Tournament.

"People know who we are," Krzyzewski said about postseason seeds. "We're not a great team; we're a very good team that's won a lot of games. Maybe that's why you don't get that type of recognition. We're not going to just go out on the court and [have the other team say], 'Wow, they're going to kill us. These guys are unbelievable.'

"We've got to work together to make it happen. That's why I like my team so much, because they've done that all year long."

There's a word for that, and it's usually the formula for postseason success -- teamwork.

You may contact Jimmy DuPree at jdupree@heraldsun.com or 419-6674.