Duke's Shorthanded Run: March Madness Awaits

0:00On March 17, Duke heads into the NCAA tournament as the number one overall seed, fresh off winning both the ACC regular season title and the conference tournament championship. They're riding an 11-game win streak, positioning them perfectly for a run at a six-national title under coach John Shire. Injury woes have hit hard, though, with sophomore center Patrick Nongba and junior guard Caleb Foster sideline by foot issues. Both miss the entire ACC tournament, leaving Duke without two key starters right as March Mann is kicks off. Fans and analysts see the impact clearly, as the team adjusts on the fly without these veterans. Still, Duke proved their depth by claiming the ACC crown shorthanded, showing they have the talent to compete at the highest level. Young players are stepping up big time, like freshman point guard Caden Booser, who took over the offense and delivered career highs in the tournament, games, standouts. Isaiah Evans with his scoring punch, freshman forward Cameron Booser dominating inside, and

1:04senior Malik Brown anchoring defense at center, have kept things rolling. Duke's ceiling might be lower without those injured pieces, but their adjustment lineup gives them a real shot to go deep if everyone stays healthy and performs.