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Former Duke guard Jared McCain voiced confidence in the Blue Devils ahead of their Sweet 16 matchup with St. John’s and head coach Rick Pitino.
Duke’s start to the 2026 NCAA Tournament has been uneven, but with each passing half, the team has improved while gradually getting healthier, further increasing its potential to make a championship run. After an impressive second-half performance led to a win over TCU, the focus quickly shifted to the Sweet 16 matchup.
"We're poised. You know, we're poised right now," McCain said. "A little shaky in the first one, but that's [the] nerves of the tournament, it happens. We basically won our loss. So now we're just going to win every game, and we're good. Who we got, St. John's next? Pitino? Yeah, we're good."
McCain's confidence is not unwarranted. The Blue Devils were named the No. 1 overall seed for a reason, and with the return of Patrick Ngongba II and the hopeful return of Caleb Foster, they are beginning to remind many around college basketball.
Duke is a 6.5-point favorite over St. John’s and has a 76.7% chance to win, according to ESPN analytics. Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor is a formidable foe, but Cameron Boozer has the matchup advantage and a deeper support system around him, including sharpshooter Isaiah Evans, defensive stud Dame Sarr, and the ever-versatile Ngongba.
McCain chalked up Duke's slow start to nerves, and it's fair to suggest that injuries have also played a role, but as the Blue Devils continue to get healthier, their odds of success are increasing as they prepare for their third-ever tournament game against Pitino.
Follow us @DukeWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Duke Blue Devils news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Jared McCain on Duke vs. St. John’s, Rick Pitino: ‘Yeah, we’re good’
Continue reading...
Duke’s start to the 2026 NCAA Tournament has been uneven, but with each passing half, the team has improved while gradually getting healthier, further increasing its potential to make a championship run. After an impressive second-half performance led to a win over TCU, the focus quickly shifted to the Sweet 16 matchup.
"We're poised. You know, we're poised right now," McCain said. "A little shaky in the first one, but that's [the] nerves of the tournament, it happens. We basically won our loss. So now we're just going to win every game, and we're good. Who we got, St. John's next? Pitino? Yeah, we're good."
McCain's confidence is not unwarranted. The Blue Devils were named the No. 1 overall seed for a reason, and with the return of Patrick Ngongba II and the hopeful return of Caleb Foster, they are beginning to remind many around college basketball.
Duke is a 6.5-point favorite over St. John’s and has a 76.7% chance to win, according to ESPN analytics. Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor is a formidable foe, but Cameron Boozer has the matchup advantage and a deeper support system around him, including sharpshooter Isaiah Evans, defensive stud Dame Sarr, and the ever-versatile Ngongba.
McCain chalked up Duke's slow start to nerves, and it's fair to suggest that injuries have also played a role, but as the Blue Devils continue to get healthier, their odds of success are increasing as they prepare for their third-ever tournament game against Pitino.
Follow us @DukeWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Duke Blue Devils news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Jared McCain on Duke vs. St. John’s, Rick Pitino: ‘Yeah, we’re good’
Continue reading...
