Maliq Brown injury update: Jon Scheyer reveals chances Duke forward plays vs. Arizona

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer revealed ailing power forward Maliq Brown is “day-to-day” with a nagging shoulder injury the flared up in the Blue Devils’ first-round ACC Tournament game two weeks ago. Scheyer added the 6-foot-9 Brown could be available for Thursday night’s Sweet Sixteen game against Arizona, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.

Brown exited late in the first half of Duke’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal game against Georgia Tech on March 13 after reaching in before recoiling in pain after overextending his previously-dislocated left shoulder suffered in mid-February against Virginia. Brown has also missed time this season with a sprainted toe and a sprained knee.

After re-injuring his shoulder, Brown was put on a stretcher and taken to a Charlotte-area hospital where it was determined he re-dislocated the shoulder.

“Maliq was in a lot of pain,” Scheyer said at the time. “He re-disclocated his shoulder … He’s at the hospital now. We’ll figure out how he’s doing.”

This season, Maliq Brown has largely been a contributor off the bench. He’s averaging 2.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Prior to his time at Duke, he played for Syracuse.

Brown’s potential return would be a big boost for the No. 1-seeded Blue Devils (33-3), which plays fourth-seeded Arizona (24-13) in the East Regional Sweet Sixteen game at 9:39 pm ET Thursday from Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Duke freshman superstar Cooper Flagg, who also suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the Georgia Tech game, returned to action for the Blue Devils’ first two NCAA Tournament games, averaging 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5.5 assists against Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor.

Dick Vitale praises Duke, ‘best player in the land’ Cooper Flagg ahead of Sweet 16

Dick Vitale joined The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday ahead of this weekend’s highly-anticipated Sweet 16. While some brackets are busted, his Final Four is still alive, and it’s evident he’s more confident in Duke than any other team at the moment.

“My final four are still alive. Michigan State and Florida — looking at my board here in my house. Michigan State, Florida in one semifinal. Duke and Houston in the other. It’s all setting up [for] Duke and Florida. When it said and time to cut the nets down — they’re going to scream, you know, I get this all the time and I laugh about it — they’ll say, ‘Duke-ie Vitale!’ Well, what’s there not to like about them? Think about why they’re good,” Vitale told McAfee. “They’re the only team in the nation — the only team — that is in a situation where their top five in the nation offensively and defensively efficiency. When you’re stellar in both those areas, you’ve got chance to win.

“Then, they’ve got the best player in the land (Cooper Flagg), and no doubt about it. I mean Flagg, and then [Tyrese] Proctor’s been on fire. But the kid — when you talk about Flagg, he is so special. He makes those things happen, because his presence on the floor creates space for guys like Proctor to get free, to shoot the three. So, he’s one of those guys like — I guess in football you have them as well. But he’s one of those guys, his presence makes everybody better.”

— On3’s Dan Morrison and Steve Samra contributed to this report.