A few weeks to go until March Madness, and the Duke Blue Devils are fully prepared. With their 23-3 overall record, the squad is riding a three-game winning streak. As if that wasn’t enough, the Blue Devils are securing those wins with dominant margins, averaging an impressive 25-point difference. However, they weren’t immune to a few hiccups in carrying the momentum.

Duke’s defensive anchor, Maliq Brown, is sidelined again; Copper Flagg has more role to take on.

It all started on Monday night when Brown suffered a separated shoulder while attempting to steal the ball. He immediately grabbed his arm, and by halftime, he was spotted in a sling. It was a major setback for No. 3-ranked Duke.

The Syracuse transfer has been a defensive nightmare for opponents, averaging 1.9 steals per game and racking up a team-high 119 deflections. Head coach Jon Scheyer had expressed regret that his impressive season had to come to a pause. “I’m bummed for him, man,” he had said. Brown’s ability to pressure the ball and protect the rim makes him a crucial piece of the Blue Devils’ defensive scheme. And so, Scheyer wasted no time in providing a positive update.

“We’re optimistic we can get him back this season. A lot of it depends on his stability, as he’s still pretty sore. Whether that will take a few weeks or more, we’re hopeful. We’re happy that the imaging didn’t show anything too serious,” Scheyer said.

As per the HC’s updates, Brown received his imaging, X-rays, MRIs on Tuesday but the understanding of how he heals and recovers remains unclear. “I think it’s gonna take some time to see how he just recovers. Obviously, he’s a big part of what we do,” he said on Field of 68 podcast.

The junior guard has been averaging 2.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game and shooting 76.9 percent of his two-pointers. He’d also help the Blue Devils with sixth-best scoring defense in Division I at 60.8 points allowed per game. So the role is to be divided now. And Copper Flagg, already leading the team in nearly every category, will be set to take on more.

Duke looks to maintain its dominance with Cooper Flagg as March Madness approaches. 

According to Jon Scheyer, there will be a combination of players filling Brown’s void in the rotation. For him, it’ll be Patrick Ngongba II, Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Mason Gillis stepping up. Meanwhile, he also emphasized that it won’t be any one player replicating Brown’s contribution but instead a collective adjustment.

“Maliq’s a different player than anybody on our team,” Scheyer explained. “What he brings to the table is different than anybody else… But look, Pat, Khaman, Cooper, Mason—all of those guys are pretty versatile with what they do, especially on the defensive end. We’re going to be us at the end of the day.”

And being “us at the end of the day” is enough. The only loss the Blue Devils have suffered in the conference this year was against Clemson, which ended their 16-game winning streak—the longest active streak in the nation. While the team has responded by starting another three-game winning streak, they have limited time to solidify their standing.

Just five regular-season games are remaining, with the next one scheduled for February 22nd against Illinois at Madison Square Garden. And it’s not going to be just another regular game. As their head coach puts it best, it will be a “wake-up call before March.”

Scheyer believes the environment will help the young team, especially Flagg, prepare for the pressure of March Madness. And that’s exactly what Duke needs to overcome Auburn and Florida, the two teams currently ranked above them in the AP college basketball poll. However, their trajectory suggests that, right now, they’re the No. 1 seed in the East Region.

So, can Duke keep up their dominance despite losing a key piece? And can Flagg rise to the occasion when the pressure is at its peak?