Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II ‘unlikely’ to play in tournament opener

Patrick Ngongba II, the starting center for Duke, is not expected to play Thursday when the No. 1 Blue Devils meet No. 16 Siena in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

"I think it's very unlikely that he plays [Thursday]," Duke coach Jon Scheyer told reporters Wednesday. "We're going to keep taking it day by day. And again, he's itching to play, but we're not quite there."

Ngongba, a 6-foot-11 center, has not played since March 2 because of a foot injury.

The Blue Devils (32-2) - the No.