Unfortunate.
The word was used at least 100 times in the days after Gerald Henderson's forearm opened up a flood of blood from Tyler Hansbrough's nose.
Players said it was unfortunate that Hansbrough's nose was broken. The Blue Devils said it was unfortunate that Henderson was ejected for something he didn't mean to do. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said it was unfortunate that it happened at a time when neither player should have been in the game.
But what may be most unfortunate for the Blue Devils is the fact that they will play Thursday without a freshman who has developed into perhaps the team's top offensive threat as the season has progressed.
Without him, Duke might be fortunate just to get by the Wolfpack.
"We just deal with it like [we would if] he had a sprained ankle," Krzyzewski said. "He has been practicing really well the last couple of weeks, and we see his game elevating. Hopefully when he comes back, it will be at that level and continue to rise."
Henderson set his career high for the second straight game with 16 points against the Tar Heels. Fellow freshman Jon Scheyer said the effort carried the team at times. With the Blue Devils down 12-2 four minutes into the game, Henderson scored Duke's next eight points to keep his team in the contest early.
"He's been playing really strong for us-he had a great game today," point guard Greg Paulus said after Sunday's loss. "He's starting to develop into who he is going to become, and that's what we need him to do is keep playing the way he has been playing."
Henderson got off to a slow start this year as he battled back from a number of preseason injuries. The guard tore a muscle in his hip, suffered a severe ankle sprain and was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma.
Even as he recovered from the other injuries, Henderson's asthma continued to slow him throughout a good portion of the season, as his limited stamina forced Krzyzewski to play him in short, three-minute stretches.
Before the Georgia Tech game Feb. 18, assistant coach Chris Collins said Henderson's conditioning had improved to the point where it would not hold him back. Since that time, Henderson has averaged 10.2 points per game while playing more than 20 minutes per contest. During that stretch, the freshman has shown an athleticism unmatched on the young Blue Devil squad, as well as an ability to create his own shot.
"I think he's the best player on our team, or has the potential to be the best player on our team with his athleticism and the things that he can do," sophomore Josh McRoberts said. "He's a great player and when he's playing well, it gives us a big lift."
And as the Blue Devils attempt to exceed postseason expectations, they will need their most improved player over recent weeks to continue his upward climb.
Henderson has been in most of the team's sets in practice in order to stay sharp for his potential return Friday, and the team has rallied around him. Krzyzewski said one of his main concerns was that Henderson could receive an unwarranted reputation. Other Blue Devils also said they have supported Henderson and hoped the incident does not cause him to become tentative.
"You can't dwell on it, and you can't let it eat you up because we need him to be ready for the next game," McClure said. "Once we get him back on the court, he's going to need to be ready to go and ready to be as big of a contributor as he was in the Carolina game."
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