No. 1 Duke Faces Shorthanded Roster in ACC Tournament Clash vs. Florida State

Blue Devils will be without key players Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II as they begin conference tournament run

Mar. 12, 2026 at 6:49pm

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Top-ranked Duke will be without two of its key players, Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II, as the Blue Devils take on Florida State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. Foster, Duke's third-leading scorer, is out with a broken foot, while Ngongba, the starting center, is managing a foot injury. Duke will lean heavily on national Player of the Year candidate Cameron Booker as they look to win their 24th ACC tournament title. Florida State, meanwhile, has won four straight games and is led by Robert McCray V, who had a season-high 30 points in the Seminoles' win over Cal in the ACC's 8-9 game.

Why it matters

Duke's quest for a 24th ACC tournament title and potential deep NCAA Tournament run will be tested by the absences of Foster and Ngongba. The Blue Devils must balance winning now with ensuring they are at full strength for the NCAA Tournament. Florida State, meanwhile, has surged in the second half of the season and looks to pull off an upset against the top-ranked Blue Devils.

The details

Neither Foster nor Ngongba will be available for Duke this week. Foster, who averages 8.5 points per game and shoots 40.2% from 3-point range, broke a bone in his right foot in the regular-season finale against North Carolina. Ngongba, who averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks during the regular season, is managing a foot injury. Duke coach Jon Scheyer said the priority is getting Ngongba healthy for the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils will lean heavily on national Player of the Year front-runner Cameron Boozer, who had a dominant game in the win over rival North Carolina on Saturday. Florida State, meanwhile, has won four straight games and is led by Robert McCray V, who had a season-high 30 points in the win over Cal.

  • Duke and Florida State will meet in the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
  • Caleb Foster suffered his broken foot in Duke's regular-season finale against North Carolina.
  • Patrick Ngongba II's foot injury will keep him out of the ACC tournament, with the focus on getting him healthy for the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Cameron Boozer

Duke's national Player of the Year front-runner, who averaged 22.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists during the regular season.

Caleb Foster

Duke's third-leading scorer, who averaged 8.5 points per game and shot 40.2% from 3-point range before suffering a broken foot.

Patrick Ngongba II

Duke's starting center, who averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks during the regular season but is managing a foot injury.

Robert McCray V

Florida State's leading scorer and playmaker, who improved his season averages to 16.1 points per game and 6.1 assists per game.

Luke Loucks

First-year head coach of Florida State, who has led the Seminoles to a strong second-half surge after a 0-5 start to conference play.

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What they’re saying

“His thing is not at all like Caleb's. Our mindset is to get him ready for the NCAA Tournament. That's the priority. That's our focus. We're going to get him right where he's ready to join us when we go for the real thing here in the NCAA Tournament. But we're not going to play him. He's going to be out this week, get him some rest, get him recovered and then join us back.”

— Jon Scheyer, Duke Head Coach (statenews.net)

“I truly think we're going to look back on this staff, like holy smokes, there is six head coaches on that staff. That's why we're successful. It has nothing to do with me. That and the players, the character they have, again, to not splinter in the toughest moments. To me your character always comes out in the hardest of times, and when you're 7-11 and you've lost five in a row, most teams let go of the rope. And these guys did not let go of the rope. Not one day I can't remember where they didn't show up and at least try to give everything they have.”

— Luke Loucks, Florida State Head Coach (statenews.net)

What’s next

The winner of the Duke-Florida State quarterfinal matchup will advance to the ACC tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The takeaway

Duke's quest for a 24th ACC tournament title faces a significant challenge with the absences of key players Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II. The Blue Devils must balance their desire to win now with ensuring they are at full strength for the NCAA Tournament, where they hope to make another deep run. Meanwhile, Florida State has surged in the second half of the season and looks to pull off an upset against the top-ranked Blue Devils.