Patrick Ngongba returns in March Madness win vs TCU. What it meant for Duke basketball
· Yahoo Sports
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Patrick Ngongba II made his long-awaited return for Duke basketball in its second 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament game against TCU.
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The 6-foot-11 sophomore had missed the previous five of the top-seeded Blue Devils’ (34-2) games with a lingering soreness in his right foot. He first checked in to the game at the 16:14 mark of the first half against the Horned Frogs, with many on their feet in the stands, marking his first appearance since Duke's March 2 win over N.C. State.
"I started feeling it versus (N.C.) State," Ngongba II said following the 81-58 win over TCU. "I'm not quite sure what exactly it was, but feeling soreness in my foot."
Ngongba said he found out ahead of Duke's NCAA Tournament opener against Siena he would be playing in the Round of 32. Scheyer said on Friday that Ngongba was "itching" to play against the Saints.
"That was my goal," Ngongba II said. "... To get better and whenever that time came, it would come."
Ngongba II returned to Bon Secours Well Arena on Saturday still on his rover scooter and walking boot, which he continued used to get around postgame. The majority of the time he was on the bench on Saturday, he had a brace on his right ankle.
"I felt good," he said. "I felt tired at some points in the game. That's as expected."
His return "took a load off of everybody," sophomore Darren Harris said.
"His impact is unmeasurable," Harris said. "You saw it throughout the whole season. He's a leader on both ends, passing, he can shoot, in the post, defensively. Just having him back adds another element to our team."
It reestablished Duke's frontcourt trio of Ngongba, Cameron Boozer and Maliq Brown, one of the most dominant in the nation.
"Just having that paint presence, especially on the defensive end, the rim protection, the rebounding, the passing," Boozer, who posted 19 points with 11 rebounds against TCU, said. "Him and Maliq, having that tandem, I think it just makes our team so incredible and so much harder to beat."
Brown, who had 12 points, called it the best energy he has seen from the team this season.
"Just knowing that he was going to be on the court today, I feel like everybody's energy was the best it's been all year to be honest," Brown said. "It was just incredible."
Ngongba played 13 minutes against the Horned Frogs. He picked up a foul 15 seconds after he checked in, finishing with four, and was 2-for-2 from the field with four points, four rebounds, four turnovers, four assists and a block. One of his fouls was a Flagrant 1, being called for a double-flagrant with Xavier Edmonds.
Duke dominated the boards against TCU, 42-25, and in the paint, 38-28. Boozer's 11 rebounds gave him 371 on the season, a Duke freshman record.
Ngongba is Duke's third-leading scorer with 10.7 points, 6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
"We're more whole with Pat being back," Jon Scheyer said postgame. "... These guys are big-time winners. It's as good of a front line that there is."
Duke now advances to the Sweet 16, where it will play the winner between Kansas and St. John's, which play on Sunday, March 22 at 5:15 p.m. ET.
Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Patrick Ngongba II makes Duke basketball return vs TCU in NCAA Tournament