Duke Aims for Full Health Ahead of Houston Showdown in San Antonio
For the first time in over two weeks, Duke’s basketball team was at full strength during the Sweet 16 and Elite 8—though that wasn’t initially expected.
Maliq Brown returned to the court after re-dislocating his shoulder in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Georgia Tech. He remained sidelined until the Sweet 16 matchup against Arizona.
Before tipoff, head coach Jon Scheyer labeled Brown as “day-to-day,” leaving open the possibility of playing. He eventually saw limited action after early foul trouble for Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba. However, Brown was clearly cautious, avoiding physical contact. Despite this, he managed a rebound, an assist, and a steal in just four minutes before sitting out the second half.
Scheyer praised Brown’s willingness to step up, saying, “He’s not 100 percent. He’s not close to it. Ideally, he wouldn’t have played, but it was an emergency situation.”
Brown was expected to be ready for the Elite 8 game against Alabama, but his role remained minimal. He logged just three minutes, grabbing a single rebound before sitting out the second half.
“What Maliq did was incredible—making himself available when he wasn’t expected to play,” Scheyer said after Duke’s win over Alabama. “Now, our focus is getting him stronger and stabilizing his shoulder as much as possible. He won’t be at full strength, but another week should help significantly.”
Duke’s Final Four matchup against Houston on Saturday will mark 23 days since Brown’s injury, but his versatility could be crucial against the physically imposing Cougars.
“We need to get him stronger and healthier, but I feel more confident about what he can contribute next weekend,” Scheyer added.
Leave a Reply