Duke Survives Shorthanded Win Over Florida State in ACC Tournament

Blue Devils overcome injuries to key starters to advance to semifinals

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:52am

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The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils narrowly defeated the Florida State Seminoles 80-79 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, despite missing two key starters due to injuries. Duke forward Cameron Boozer acknowledged the "ugly win," but the team now advances to face the winner of Clemson-North Carolina in the semifinals.

Why it matters

Duke's victory showcases the team's resilience in the face of adversity, as they were forced to adjust their lineup and rotation without point guard Caleb Foster and center Patrick Ngongba. The Blue Devils' ability to overcome these challenges will be crucial as they aim to win the ACC Tournament and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Duke was without Foster, who suffered a broken right foot, and Ngongba, who was dealing with foot soreness. The Blue Devils struggled at times, committing 15 turnovers and allowing Florida State to shoot 51.9% from the field and make 11 3-pointers. However, Duke responded with a 19-2 run in the second half to regain the lead, led by a strong performance from senior center Maliq Brown, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. Freshman Cayden Boozer, starting in place of Foster, also made a crucial offensive rebound and put-back in the final minute to secure the victory.

  • Caleb Foster suffered a broken right foot in Duke's regular-season finale against North Carolina and will be out for the 'foreseeable' future.
  • Patrick Ngongba started experiencing foot soreness against NC State a week and a half ago, causing him to miss the UNC game and the ACC Tournament.

The players

Cameron Boozer

A Duke forward who acknowledged the "ugly win" but said the team must move on to the next game.

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, who said the team must "figure this out" and that "nobody has put their head down" despite the injuries to key players.

Caleb Foster

Duke's starting point guard who suffered a broken right foot and will be out for the "foreseeable future."

Patrick Ngongba

Duke's starting center who was dealing with foot soreness and missed the ACC Tournament, but is expected to return for the NCAA Tournament.

Maliq Brown

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year, who started the last two games in Ngongba's place and had a strong performance against Florida State.

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What they’re saying

“We're no excuses. We've got to step up with the team that we have. We've got to figure this out, though. I thought it put us in some tough positions tonight that you can't really practice, and we'll learn a lot from it.”

— Jon Scheyer, Head Coach, Duke Blue Devils

“My man didn't block me out. I was wide open, so I was like, why not? Just score. So, it was pretty simple.”

— Cayden Boozer, Freshman Guard, Duke Blue Devils

What’s next

Duke will face the winner of Clemson-North Carolina in the ACC Tournament semifinals, with the potential to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament depending on the outcome.

The takeaway

Duke's ability to overcome key injuries and win a close game against a hot Florida State team demonstrates the team's resilience and depth, which will be crucial as they aim to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament despite the absence of their starting point guard and center.