Patrick Ngongba II gave Duke exactly the kind of night that turns an exhibition into a statement. In the Blue Devils’ third and final tune-up of the 2026-27 season, the junior center led the way with 28 points in a road win over a preseason No. 17 Kansas team.
Ngongba set the tone almost immediately, scoring on a layup just five seconds into the game. From there, he kept Duke afloat whenever the Blue Devils and Jayhawks started trading blows. He knocked down a key three-pointer during an early deficit and then spent the closing stretch of the first half living at the free-throw line, where he made 5 of 6 attempts in the final six minutes before halftime.
That first half was where Duke built its cushion, with Ngongba doing plenty of the heavy lifting. He grabbed five rebounds before the break, and more than half of his scoring came in the opening 20 minutes. Duke had stretched the lead to as many as 12 points, but the advantage slipped away, and Kentucky - as the source described it - took a two-point lead into the second period.
Ngongba kept working once play resumed. He found points in a variety of ways, mixing in layups and contested jumpers to help Duke stay even with the Jayhawks. He also kept attacking the rim and drew 10 free throws on the night, finishing 9-for-10 from the line and 9-for-12 from the field.
The efficiency stood out, especially when stacked against his earlier exhibition work. Against preseason No. 8 Tennessee earlier in the week, he was perfect from the stripe and went 4-for-6 from the field.
His impact wasn’t limited to scoring, either. Ngongba added four assists and two blocks while playing aggressively on the defensive end, though he also picked up three personal fouls. By the end of the night, he had his first double-double of the preseason, and Duke had a clear answer for its readers’ weekly spotlight.
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