Maliq Brown injury update: Pete Thamel offers latest on Duke star vs. Alabama in Elite Eight

Will Maliq Brown be able to suit up for Duke during tonight’s Elite Eight showdown against Alabama? ESPN’s Pete Thamel provided the latest ahead of the clash at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey — the forward will be available for Jon Scheyer’s squad.

“[Maliq Brown] has obviously been a familiar face in these injury reports. He’s dealing with a dislocated left shoulder. Maliq Brown is expected to again be available,” Thamel reported, via ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday.

“Jon Scheyer has made it clear, he does not want to play Maliq Brown as he comes back from that injury. Foul trouble dictated that he had to the other night. We’ll see if Alabama puts the same pressure on Duke today, and forces Maliq Brown off the bench for the Blue Devils.”

Brown played for the first time since March 13 in the Sweet 16 against Arizona. He spent four minutes in the game, grabbing a rebound, dishing out an assists and adding a steal to his resume. He didn’t attempt any shots, or score any points.

On the season as a whole, the Syracuse transfer is averaging 2.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while playing 16.3 minutes per game over 24 appearances. He’s a solid contributor on the defensive side when he’s on the floor, but Brown has been hampered with the aforementioned shoulder ailment. He’s only been used sparingly since suffering the injury.

That’s why it’ll be fascinating to see if Brown suits up for Duke at all on Saturday, and how long he’s on the floor for. Regardless, the oddsmakers are confident in the Blue Devils. Duke is the favorite against Alabama by 6.5-points at the moment, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Their money line is currently set at -260, as well.

KenPom, another predictive system for college basketball designed to show how strong a team is at a given time, without taking factors like injuries into account, agrees with Vegas. They have Duke winning by six, and the algorithm is giving the Blue Devils a 70% chance of winning Saturday’s showdown. 

Regardless, this will be one of the more anticipated matchups we have throughout the entire NCAA Tournament. Alabama is another example of the SEC having an immense amount of success outside of the conference, while Duke has taken down a few members of the conference. Another one is going to be required on Saturday.

We’ll see if Maliq Brown and Duke are victorious, or if the Crimson Tide can get the job done. That one will tip off on later this Saturday evening at 8:49 PM EST on CBS.