Injured Duke basketball star may miss the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Devils could be without a key player for the rest of the season.
The Duke basketball team is struggling as it nears the end of the conference season, and things won’t be any easier for them on Saturday night in the ACC Tournament Championship against Louisville.
Maliq Brown, Duke’s key backup center, will miss the title game after re-dislocating his shoulder during the Blue Devils’ quarterfinal win over Georgia Tech. He could be out for the entire NCAA Tournament.
“We’ll need a couple of days to assess things,” Jon Scheyer said regarding Brown’s injury following the 74-71 win over North Carolina in the semifinals.
“We have to get back to campus and figure this out. Obviously, there’s no expectation of him playing soon.”
Scheyer mentioned in his Thursday press conference that Brown was stretchered off the court and taken to the hospital for additional evaluation. On Friday night, Brown was seen on the Duke bench with his arm in a sling.
Despite this, the Blue Devils managed to get 25 points from their freshman centers, Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba, who shot a combined 12-of-14.
Ngongba stepped up in Brown’s absence, having missed four games earlier this season due to a shoulder injury, and delivered a career-high performance just when the Blue Devils needed it most. He could be vital in filling Brown’s spot.
“Pat’s confidence is 100 percent there,” Scheyer said. “It’s just a matter of opportunity. You don’t want to see that happen to Maliq, but the way Pat has developed all season, working on his body and improving in the weight room, is impressive. He’s really smart, especially for a big guy.”
“To step up in that moment and be ready—he doesn’t get rattled. He has excellent poise.”
The Blue Devils also saw star player Cooper Flagg sit out the semifinal win due to an ankle injury he sustained in the quarterfinals.
The game between the Blue Devils and the Cardinals is set for 8:30 p.m.ET (ESPN) in Charlotte.