Duke's Scheyer Has Perfect Response for Patrick Ngongba's Return

The 1-seed Duke Blue Devils advanced to their third straight Sweet Sixteen with a decisive 81-58 victory over 9-seed TCU on Saturday. The Blue Devils looked back in elite form after a major scare in the Round of 64, where they narrowly defeated 16-seed Siena, 71-65.

Duke had starting center Patrick Ngongba back in the lineup, who had been out since March 2 with foot soreness. Ngongba is one of the most underrated impact players in college basketball and serves as an elite defensive anchor down low for Jon Scheyer.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) loses the ball against Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward David Punch (15) during the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

After a sketchy defensive performance against the Saints on Thursday, Duke looked dominant once again on that side of the ball in the Round of 32. The Blue Devils outscored TCU 43-24 in the second half and limited the Horned Frogs to 33% shooting from the field and 7-of-24 (29%) shooting from three across the full game.

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer watches down court Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the Siena Saints at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Duke Was Being Extra Cautious With Patrick Ngongba

Even leading up to the final hours before Duke's bout with TCU, Ngongba used a scooter to keep all weight off of his foot. The 6'11" big man has dealt with foot injuries for practically the entirety of his collegiate career, so it seemed like Scheyer and Co. were being extra cautious.

Despite not being quite 100%, Ngongba suited up for the Blue Devils and was extremely impactful in his limited minutes. The sophomore will likely continue to use the scooter to take weight off of his foot throughout the next week into the Blue Devils' Sweet Sixteen contest.

Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Jon Scheyer Gives Perfect Response to Ngongba's Return

Ngongba only played 13 minutes off the bench, but he was extremely impactful during his time on the floor. The sophomore went for four points, four rebounds, four assists, and a block on 2-of-2 (100%) shooting from the floor. He finished with a plus/minus of +20.

After the game, Scheyer had the perfect response after Ngongba was a decisive piece to the victory.

Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II (21) reacts after scoring against the NC State Wolfpack during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

"He's the first player to ever come into a game off a scooter and have +20 in the plus minus," Scheyer told Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 Network.

Ideally, Ngongba will be ready to play heavy minutes across the second weekend so Duke can get back to lineups with both him and Maliq Brown on the floor. Against two elite defensive squads that Duke will potentially face, either 4-seed Kansas or 5-seed St. John's, having Ngongba fully healthy is a huge deal.