Duke’s experienced big man Maliq Brown is aiming for an increased role in tonight’s Final Four clash against Houston. Brown hasn’t seen significant action since Duke’s March 8 showdown with North Carolina. He suffered his second shoulder dislocation during the ACC Tournament quarterfinals versus Georgia Tech, which has kept him from playing at full strength.
Although he was cleared to play in both the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games—logging just four minutes against Arizona and three against Alabama—Brown has remained limited.
Both Brown and head coach Jon Scheyer have been hopeful about his return for the Final Four, and it appears he’ll be suited up and ready for tonight’s contest against the Cougars.
Speaking with ESPN ahead of the game, the 6-foot-9, 222-pound junior acknowledged he’s still not fully recovered, but he’s feeling more confident after a full week of practice.
“It definitely feels different from last week,” Brown said. “I don’t know exactly how healthy I am percentage-wise, but I’m feeling better—definitely better than last week.”
Duke’s coaching staff has been cautious with Brown given the repeat nature of the injury. There were initial concerns that he might miss the rest of the season, but now there’s optimism that he could see extended minutes tonight.
Brown admitted to having some hesitation about contact following the injury.
“It was definitely on my mind, especially coming back so quickly,” he said. “But once I got out there, made a deflection or something, I felt locked in.”
This season, Brown is averaging 2.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in just under 16 minutes per game. The Syracuse transfer has proven to be a defensive asset with his size, length, and versatility to guard any position on the floor.
Now, the junior forward is hoping to make a bigger impact as Duke takes on Houston tonight at 8:49 p.m. ET on CBS.
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