Duke Faces Siena in NCAA Tournament Opener
The Blue Devils and the Siena Saints meet Thursday, March 19 at 2:50 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. CBS will carry the game in the NCAA tournament opener.
Siena profile and season recap
Gerry McNamara leads Siena after a modest 14-18 campaign last year. This season the Saints improved to 23-11. They finished third in the MAAC and won the conference tournament.
Siena plays a deliberate pace. The offense emphasizes mid-range shots over threes and quick drives.
Rotation and key players
Siena uses a tight rotation and leans on heavy minutes from its starters. Gavin Doty averages 36.7 minutes per game. Justice Shoats logs 35.4, Brendan Coyle plays 30.3, Francis Folefac averages 27.7, and Tasman Goodrick sees 23.3 minutes.
- Gavin Doty — 6-5 sophomore, 17.9 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.2 apg.
- Justice Shoats — 5-11 senior, 13.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 1.4 spg.
- Brendan Coyle — 6-7 senior, strong rebounder at 10.3 rpg.
- Francis Folefac — 6-7, 245-pound freshman, operates inside.
- Tasman Goodrick — 6-10, 230-pound junior from Sydney, Australia.
- Riley Mulvey — 7-0, 240-pound senior provides interior size.
Other rotation pieces include Antonio Chandler, Christian Jones, and Isaiah Henderson.
Defensive identity and tempo
Siena defends well and limits opponents to 67.7 points per game. Over the last 10 games, opponents shot 47.9 percent at the rim.
The Saints pair size at times, matching Folefac with Mulvey. They also avoid fouling frequently.
Offensive profile
Siena ranks near the bottom nationally in three-point reliance. About 22 percent of their scoring comes from threes. The team shoots roughly 30 percent from beyond the arc.
The offense moves slowly. It often pushes teams into late shot-clock situations.
Matchups and Blue Devils’ strengths
Duke enters as the heavy favorite. The Blue Devils bring superior athleticism and a tougher schedule this season.
Duke faced ten of the current Top 25 teams and played Tennessee in an exhibition. By contrast, Siena had one Quad 1 game, a 21-point loss at Indiana.
Key Duke players to watch
- Cameron Boozer — primary scoring option, had a standout season but can be turnover-prone.
- Isaiah Evans — perimeter threat who can also drive and score inside.
- Dame Sarr — versatile defender at 6-7, used often on opposing guards.
- Maliq Brown — known for strong on-ball defense.
- Cayden Boozer, Nik Khamenia, and Darren Harris — secondary scorers who have stepped up this season.
Duke’s switching defense could frustrate Siena’s mid-range game. Sarr and Brown present matchup problems for the Saints.
Injury update and game outlook
Patrick Ngongba remains uncertain for Thursday. He has not been ruled out, but playing is highly unlikely. Duke sources suggest he probably won’t play this weekend.
The ideal outcome for Duke is an early blowout. That would allow rest for starters ahead of Saturday’s game against Ohio State or TCU.
Upset potential
March upsets are possible. A memorable example is 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson beating Purdue. Such surprises are rare, however.
Given Duke’s athletic edge and experience against top opponents, a significant upset seems unlikely.
Filmogaz.com will monitor any late updates and provide further analysis before tipoff.
