Maliq Brown returning for Duke basketball vs UNC. Here’s what it means for the Blue Devils

[ad_1]

Duke basketball’s Maliq Brown will be back for the Blue Devils’ rivalry game against UNC on Saturday evening (6:30 p.m., ESPN) at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Brown, who missed the last four games with a right knee sprain, was injured against Notre Dame on Jan. 11. Earlier this week, Duke coach Jon Scheyer said Brown returned to practice and Duke confirmed his return for the UNC game with a social media post on Saturday morning, posting Brown is “SO BACK.”

As the second-ranked Blue Devils (18-2, 10-0 ACC) prepare for the Tar Heels (13-9, 6-4), Brown’s return has the ability to level up Duke’s defense, which faced some adversity in close calls against Wake Forest and N.C. State.

Described as a “defensive menace” by Scheyer, Brown has been Duke’s leader in deflections since he stepped on campus last summer. With the 6-foot-9, 222-pound junior serving as the Blue Devils’ ultimate disruptor, Duke will be able to switch all five positions more often defensively and be better equipped to counter smaller, guard-heavy lineups.

Brown’s return also takes some of the pressure off freshmen big men Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba. Both players have been solid with Brown sidelined, providing the Blue Devils with steady minutes on the interior so Cooper Flagg can remain in his point forward role.

Last season at Syracuse, Brown had 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in an 86-79 win against the Tar Heels in New York.

Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Maliq Brown injury update: Brown to return for Duke basketball vs UNC

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/maliq-brown-returning-duke-basketball-171436975.html

Author : The Fayetteville Observer

Publish date : 2025-02-01 17:14:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.