Why Maliq Brown is ‘different animal’ for Duke basketball entering March Madness Sweet 16
Duke basketball senior Maliq Brown was limited last season in March Madness. Now, Brown is getting a different experience in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
GREENVILLE, S. C. — This March Madness is different for Maliq Brown because this version of Maliq Brown is different.
A shoulder injury last season hindered Brown in his first NCAA Tournament appearance, causing him to miss the first two games of Duke basketball’s run to the Final Four in San Antonio. Even when he returned for the Blue Devils for the final three games of the Big Dance, it was in more of a decoy role with him limited to 22 minutes. No.
9 seed TCU got to see a fully operational Brown as top-seeded Duke hammered the Horned Frogs in an 81-58 victory that will send the Blue Devils to the Sweet 16 of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament. SWEET 16 BOUND: Duke basketball takes down TCU, punches ticket to NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Observations DUKE COVERAGE: Duke basketball stories from NCAA Tournament “To be honest, for me, it was just being able to be on the court. I wasn't even thinking about the game I played,” Brown said inside Duke’s locker room at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
“Just being able to be on the court with my guys … I missed a lot of it last year. So just making sure I'm not taking anything for granted this year. ” Brown had 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 26 minutes for Duke (34-2) against TCU (23-12).