As the college basketball season barrels toward its most critical stretch, Duke finds itself facing a new challenge - and it’s one they’ve largely avoided all year. Starting center Patrick Ngongba, a key piece of the Blue Devils' frontcourt, is now dealing with a wrist injury that kept him out of Tuesday night’s win over Pittsburgh.
The injury occurred during Duke’s showdown with North Carolina, and while the Blue Devils handled business against the Panthers with a 70-54 victory, Ngongba’s absence was felt - not just on the stat sheet, but in the flow and feel of the game.
After the win, head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t sugarcoat the situation. "We were holding on hope on whether he could play today.
I think that was incredibly unrealistic," Scheyer said. "He wasn't close to being ready."
That’s not a small statement when you consider Ngongba’s toughness. According to Scheyer, the freshman big man has battled through plenty of bumps and bruises this season - nothing major, but enough to test his durability.
For him to sit out, it clearly wasn’t something minor.
The good news? Scheyer confirmed that everything in Ngongba’s wrist is "intact."
No fractures, no structural damage. That’s a big sigh of relief for Duke fans.
But whether he’ll be ready for Saturday’s clash with No. 20 Clemson is still up in the air.
"We have to see how he does the next couple days to see if there's even a chance and go from there," Scheyer said. "It’s hard to say."
Without Ngongba, Duke shuffled the deck. Maliq Brown got the nod in the starting lineup, but it was a mixed bag.
He finished with two points, three rebounds, and two steals - not exactly the impact Duke’s used to getting from the center spot. Brown and freshman wing Isaiah Evans were both benched to start the second half as Scheyer searched for a lineup that could stabilize things.
"We’re a different team without Pat," Scheyer admitted. "We had some lineups out there we've never played before."
And it showed. While Duke still came away with a comfortable win, the rhythm wasn’t quite the same.
Ngongba’s presence as a rim protector, rebounder, and efficient scorer in the paint has been a steadying force all season.
Through Tuesday, Ngongba had played in every game for Duke, averaging 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. He’s been a consistent inside presence, anchoring a frontcourt that’s had to grow up quickly in a rugged ACC.
And the timing of this injury? Less than ideal.
Duke’s schedule is about to hit another gear. After Saturday’s game against Clemson, the Blue Devils face a brutal non-conference matchup with No.
2 Michigan and its imposing frontcourt on February 21. Then it’s a gauntlet to close the regular season: No.
15 Virginia, a road test at NC State, and a rematch with No. 11 North Carolina.
In other words, Duke’s margin for error is shrinking - and they’ll need all hands on deck if they want to make a serious run through March. Whether Ngongba is back in time for this stretch could be a swing factor not just in those games, but in how far this team can go when the stakes get even higher.
For now, it’s a waiting game. But if Ngongba can return soon - and at full strength - Duke’s frontcourt will be back at full power just when it matters most.