Duke's Maliq Brown (shoulder) expects to play in Final Four - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Duke reserve forward Maliq Brown said he's ready for a bigger role in the Final Four this weekend after a shoulder injury significantly cut his playing time him in the Blue Devils' games last weekend.

Brown missed four games — two in the NCAA tournament after two in the ACC tournament — in the wake of his second left shoulder dislocation. That injury occurred in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament against Georgia Tech. His earlier shoulder injury came Feb. 17 against Virginia.

Duke's plan heading into the Sweet 16 against Arizona was to use Brown only if the game necessitated it. When Duke's front line got into foul trouble, he played four minutes against Arizona and then three minutes in the Blue Devils' dominant win in the Elite Eight against Alabama.

Brown said Friday that he's faring better after a full week of practice and a focus on more live reps from the medical staff. He said he's ready to return to close to his old role, in which he averaged more than 15 minutes per game.

«So I would definitely say it's a different perspective [from last week],» Brown told ESPN. «I'm not sure of my percentage, but to be honest, I feel good, compared to last week I feel better.»

Brown acknowledged that he's not 100 percent. He admitted to being inhibited and thinking about contact last weekend.

«It was definitely a thought — just a thought,» Brown said. «Obviously just going back from a second injury like that so quick. Definitely a thought that was going on my head the first couple days, but I feel like once the first day I got up there, I think it was deflection or something and then I was just locked in.

»Not trying to think about my injury or anything, just trying to keep the team on the same page and just