The Duke basketball team could be at full strength for Saturday night’s showdown against North Carolina (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Head coach Jon Scheyer had been tight-lipped about the potential return of center Maliq Brown for the highly anticipated rivalry matchup. However, the team’s social media may have given a clue about his status.
Duke shared photos from Friday’s practice, showing Brown participating in defensive drills, seemingly in a contact portion of the session.
Jon Scheyer said Thursday that Maliq Brown participated in non-contact drills during Wednesday’s practice.
“We’ll determine on Saturday whether there’s a real chance he could play,” Scheyer stated.
Brown has been out since suffering a knee sprain early in Duke’s win over Notre Dame, missing the last four games. However, he showed progress in his rehab by joining warmups before Monday’s matchup against NC State.
While Brown’s numbers (2.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game) aren’t eye-catching, his defensive versatility has been a key absence for Duke. In his place, freshman center Khaman Maluach has taken on a larger role, while rookie forward Patrick Ngongba II has emerged as a promising contributor. Graduate student Mason Gillis has also seen time at center during Brown’s absence.
North Carolina, which has struggled in the frontcourt this season, is also dealing with an injury. Center Jalen Washington (6-foot-10) was hurt in the Tar Heels’ overtime win against Boston College and missed their loss to Pittsburgh. Head coach Hubert Davis said Washington was expected to practice Thursday but did not confirm his availability for Saturday’s game.
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