News & Observer | newsobserver.com | 2008 NCAA Men's Bracket

DURHAM — Duke senior guard Greg Paulus was feeling better than he did while playing limited minutes and making just one shot with an injured right forearm — he's right-handed — on Sunday, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Tuesday.

"You could tell he was not close to being 100 percent [against Rhode Island]," Krzyzewski said. "He was going on guts alone. If he doesn’t get worse in today’s practice, we'll see if he can keep coming. We need him. We already feel he'll be much better on Thursday."

Duke played Sunday so the players had Monday off. Paulus and several others players come in for treatment. Duke will practice this afternoon and leave for New York immediately afterwards.

Duke plays Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. in one semifinal of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Michigan and No. 4 UCLA meet in the other. The winners play for the title on Friday at 7 p.m.