Duke's Resilience: Overcoming Injuries in NCAA Tournament

0:00On March 16, Duke enters the NCAA tournament as the number one overall seed, even after losing their entire starting five from last season's final. Four run to the NBA. Coach John Shire rebuilt through smart retention and player growth, turning last year's reserves into this year's core starters. Kayla Foster, Patrick Nongba, the second, and Isaiah Evans have stepped up big time as key pieces for the Blue Devils. But injuries hit hard right before the ACC tournament, sidemining Foster and Nongba. Foster broke his right foot in the regular season finale against North Carolina and had surgery soon after. Officials say he's out at least until the final four, with little chance of returning even then, while Nongba should be back soon. The junior point guard was averaging 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, shooting over 40. Percent from three. His absence leaves a gap as Duke's fourth leading scorer, but the team adapted well in recent games. Freshman Caden Booser has filled in smoothly, setting up the Booser twins to share the

1:03floor more in the tournament. Duke looks ready to push deep without Foster, leaning on their depth to chase a title.