“We’re Winning It All”: Jon Scheyer’s Bold Claim Fuels Duke’s 2026 March Madness Run

Jon Scheyer’s second-year surge at Duke reaches a new crescendo tonight as the Blue Devils, 29-2 and fresh off a third straight ACC championship, tip off the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed against No. 16 Siena in Greenville, S.C. The 38-year-old coach, named ACC Coach of the Year earlier this month after guiding Duke to back-to-back league titles and an unbeaten 20-0 record at Cameron Indoor Stadium, has quickly erased doubts about succeeding Mike Krzyzewski. Scheyer’s teams are now 58-6 overall, and the Chicago native has a chance to become the first man since North Carolina’s Bill Guthridge (1998) to reach a Final Four in two of his first three seasons. Motivation is easy to find. Last April’s overtime loss to Arizona in the national semifinals remains a rallying point in the locker room. “I take every scar with me,” Scheyer said this week, noting that the setback has fueled Duke’s relentless defensive identity. The Blue Devils rank third nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and have held opponents below 60 points in 19 games. Injury news hovers over the opening round: 7-foot freshman center Patrick Ngongba II, a projected lottery pick who averages 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds, is “very unlikely” to play because of a foot sprain suffered during the ACC final, Scheyer announced Wednesday. Sophomore Sean Stewart is expected to start in his place. Even without Ngongba, Duke’s roster is stacked. All-ACC first-team guard Caleb Brown (17.8 ppg) orchestrates an offense that shoots 41 percent from three, while fellow sophomore Cameron Boozer, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, anchors the paint. Their production—plus the late-season emergence of freshman sharpshooter Malik Mack—has allowed Scheyer to deploy a nine-man rotation that overwhelms opponents in transition. Scheyer’s rapid trophy haul already matches some of the conference’s coaching legends: three ACC tournament crowns in four seasons, something neither Dean Smith nor Roy Williams accomplished. Another deep March run would further cement his status as the sport’s next marquee bench boss and keep Duke atop the name, image and likeness (NIL) recruiting wars. First things first, though: a date with the MAAC champion Saints, who upset Georgetown in December and deploy a five-out offense that could challenge Duke’s ball-screen coverage. “We respect everyone,” Scheyer said, “but our standards depend on us.” A convincing opening-night statement would push the Blue Devils closer to their 18th Final Four and give Jon Scheyer another bullet point in a résumé that is rising as quickly as his team’s championship odds.