The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils will open their March Madness campaign against the No. 16 Siena Saints as overwhelming favorites. Both teams are pretty banged up, with some players out or questionable for this NCAA Tournament first-round matchup.
While many know that Duke is the No. 1 team in college basketball right now, Siena is actually a champion in its own right, having won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship last week by defeating Merrimack College 64-54 to book a ticket to March Madness.
This is their first time back in the NCAA Tournament since making it three times in a row from 2008 to 2010. They did qualify in 2020, but the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they will try to do the unthinkable and beat Duke as 28-point underdogs with a banged-up roster.
Duke vs Siena NCAA Tournament Injury Report
Duke Blue Devils
- G Caleb Foster: Out, foot
- C Patrick Ngongba II: Questionable, foot
- C Ifeanyi Ufochukwu: Out, undisclosed
- G Sebastian Wilkins: Out, redshirted
Siena Saints
- F Antonio Chandler: Questionable, personal
- F Tajae Jones: Out, back
- F Tasman Goodrick: Out, knee
- G Owen Schlager: Questionable, upper body
- G Reid Ducharme: Questionable, shoulder
The Siena Saints could be dealt a huge blow if Antonio Chandler is ruled out against one of the best frontcourts in college basketball. Duke star Patrick Ngongba II is questionable with a foot injury and Ifeanyi Ufochukwu is out for the season but it still possesses a formidable roster capable of going all the way. The good news for the Saints is that Chandler, who has produced double-digit numbers for them before, is only listed as questionable and could suit up.
As for Duke, they may have Ngongba sit out the first round so he can be fresh for the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight.
That being said, the Saints are projected to have no answers against projected No. 1 pick Cameron Boozer, who has been a double-double machine for the Blue Devils.
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