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Duke Enters NCAA Tournament as No. 1 Overall Seed With Ngongba Day to Day, Foster Out

Scheyer says Patrick Ngongba is day to day, with Caleb Foster still recovering from foot surgery.

Overview

  • Duke won the ACC Tournament over Virginia and carries an 11-game win streak into Thursday’s opener against Siena.
  • Jon Scheyer described Ngongba’s progress as positive and said a return decision will come in the next few days as staff ramps his work cautiously.
  • Foster fractured his right foot on March 7 and underwent surgery; reporting indicates he is unlikely to play before a deep run, with a Final Four timeline at best.
  • The Blue Devils used a seven-man rotation in Charlotte, starting Cayden Boozer and Maliq Brown in place of Foster and Ngongba and holding off two close games.
  • Oddsmakers list Duke as the pre-tournament favorite at most sportsbooks, while analysts are split, with Coach K expressing confidence and others citing depth and foul-trouble risks.