CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Third-ranked Duke defeated Virginia 80-62 on Monday night but lost key reserve forward Maliq Brown in the process.
Brown dislocated his left shoulder with 1:21 left in the first half, Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer said, and did not return. He was expected to get imaging done later Monday.
“He’s a big loss for us,” Scheyer said. “Find out what the deal is and then go from there. I don’t know more than that.”
The 6-foot-9 junior, who transferred from Syracuse, is second on the team with 30 steals and third with nine blocked shots.
“He’s been a great teammate,” Kon Knueppel said. “He’s very unselfish and [a] great passer. … He’s very, very impactful for our team.”
The game — which was Duke’s third straight victory — was a homecoming for Brown, who grew up in Culpeper, an hour away.
Brown had two points, two assists and a rebound in 10 minutes. He appeared to injure his left arm reaching into a passing lane to deflect a ball.
An hour after the game, Brown emerged from the locker room to greet family and Duke fans. He took photos with his arm in a sling before heading to the team bus.
With Brown sidelined, Duke turned to Patrick Ngongba II, who scored eight points and grabbed a rebound in 11 minutes.
Scheyer said Ngongba has developed over the season and will be ready to contribute if Brown’s injury keeps him out for the Blue Devils’ next game, which is against Illinois on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
Scheyer noted Ngongba played significant minutes in the Blue Devils’ win over Wake Forest in January.
Scheyer said that players who aren’t getting much playing time in his program compete in “stay ready” games to keep them sharp and prepared in the event they’re pressed into action.
“I’ve seen such growth from him throughout the season,” Scheyer said. “He’s been in some big-time moments.”
