GREENVILLE, S.C. – Pete Gillen coined the phrase after an NCAA Tournament loss while coaching at Providence three decades ago.
Duke is Duke.
It’s a statement that conveys the idea that you always know what you’re going to be up against when you play the Blue Devils, especially in the postseason. And it remains as relevant now under coach Jon Scheyer as it did when his mentor, Mike Krzyzewski, ran the program.
That’s why Thursday’s NCAA first-round struggle against 16th-seeded Siena, which required a late comeback to escape with a 71-65 victory, was so stunning. In this instance, Scheyer said, Duke wasn’t Duke.
“When you really want to win very badly and you’re playing in the tournament for the first time, it brings out emotions you can’t even prepare for,” he said Friday at Bon Secours Wellness Center as he and his team prepared for Saturday’s even more challenging second-round test against ninth-seeded TCU. “I think that’s what happened to us (against Siena). We got very inward. Our competitive spirit was not there where it needed to be.
“For us, it’s all about getting back to ourselves, nothing other than doing what we’ve done — defending, rebounding, the whole thing. Our talk and energy, I can tell you it will be back (on Saturday).”
Several Blue Devils, including star freshman Cameron Boozer and senior Maliq Brown, admitted they took Siena lightly and that it took the adversity of a double-digit deficit early in the second half for them to flip the switch on their trademark aggressiveness. It’s a mistake they say they won’t repeat against the Horned Frogs, who advanced with a last-second, two-point win against No. 8 seed Ohio State.
But beyond the improved mental preparation, Duke’s most important adjustment could come in the form of a lineup change. Depending on how things went at practice Friday, Scheyer said he’s hoping injured 6-foot-11 sophomore big man Patrick Ngongba will be in uniform and available to play for the first time in nearly two weeks. He has been sidelined with a foot injury since the Blue Devils’ March 7 regular-season finale against North Carolina.
“He was itching to play (on Thursday),” Scheyer said. “Now, he hasn’t done what he needs to do in order to play, but if everything goes well, we’ll see him back in there. He needs to practice. He needs to just be on the floor and move the way that he needs to to be successful. He’s been ramping up and doing a really good job.
“We just want to make sure he’s feeling right to play at a high level, not just to be out there but to be him.”
Ngongba’s presence in the paint would be a major boost to a Duke frontcourt that has been stretched thin in his absence.
He provides the top-seeded Blue Devils with a game-changing rim protector on defense, a commodity that would have come in handy against a Siena team that scored 30 of its 65 points in the paint. He also adds another productive inside contributor offensively. Ngongba is third on the team in scoring behind Boozer and guard Isaiah Evans at 10.7 points per game, while ranking second in rebounding (6.0) and first with 32 blocks.
“I know how big-time a player he is, how much he affects a game for us and what he means as an inside presence,” Boozer said of Ngongba. “We’ve missed him a lot. I think the biggest thing is the size difference. With him being out, only having one ‘five’ man in our rotation makes a difference on both sides of the floor.”
No one has missed him as much as Boozer, who has had to spend time helping Brown fill in at Ngongba’s center spot. Boozer has gone just 13-of-37 from the floor in his past three games, a .351 shooting percentage far below his season average of .560.
Although Boozer has managed to put up solid numbers despite his recent shooting difficulties, the most productive member of his family since Ngongba went down has been his less-heralded twin. Cayden Boozer has set or tied his career scoring high in each of the past three games, including 19 points to go along with five assists and no turnovers against Siena.
Jon Scheyer on Cam Boozer’s IQ and His All-Time Duke Starting 5
The Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks with Seth Davis and Andy Katz on the latest episode of The Hoops HQ Show
His surge has helped ease the blow of Duke’s other key injury, a fractured foot that will keep starting point guard Caleb Foster sidelined until at least the Final Four.
“Whether you have the opportunity or not, to play in the ACC Tournament in the moments he’s been in, that kind of game like we had yesterday against Siena, you’re either wired for it or you’re not. And he is,” Scheyer said. “With his ability to get downhill for us, we’ve personalized and changed a couple things that we do to try to put him in a better position, but he’s really the guy that’s made it happen. I just love the aggressiveness, but then also the composure that he’s had.”
The Blue Devils will need that aggressiveness to carry over to the rest of his team to help avoid another slow start and a potential early exit against TCU. But even if they continue to survive and advance, they’ll still have to buck history in order to cut down the nets in Indianapolis as national champions. No top-seeded team has gone on to win a title after beating a 16th seed by single digits in the opening round.
It’s a stat Brown quickly dismissed, saying that as long as Duke is Duke, the Blue Devils will be just fine moving forward.
“I would just say obviously you hear a lot of noise outside of the locker room and the team, but I feel like our team and our staff do a very good job of just keeping it outside,” he said. “Obviously everybody wants to win. It’s March. Whoever loses, you’re going home. So everybody’s out there playing their best basketball in this tournament. (It’s) just knowing that we’ve got to go out there and play our best basketball and stay focused.”
Meet your guide
