Khaman Maluach stats tonight: How did Duke freshman fare vs Kansas (Nov 26)
Freshman center Khaman Maluach had a quiet performance as No. 11 Duke lost to No. 1 Kansas, 75-72, on Tuesday at the Terry’s Chocolate Vegas Showdown at the T-Mobile Arena.
The 7-foot-2 big man posted his lowest output of the season, contributing just four points, one rebound, one block and two steals in 23 minutes. Maluach, who committed two fouls and two turnovers, struggled offensively.
Maluach was tasked with guarding Kansas' Hunter Dickinson, who had been averaging 17.8 points and 10.4 rebounds. Despite Dickinson’s solid outing — finishing with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists before being ejected — Maluach and the Blue Devils’ defense made it difficult for him to finish at the rim.
After Kansas took an early 23-10 lead, the game tightened. With two minutes remaining, Maluach's breakaway slam and Cooper Flagg's running layup tied the game at 71. Duke called a timeout with 14.2 seconds remaining, trailing by one point, 73-72. Kansas completed the victory with two free throws, winning 75-72.
Maluach and other younger players, like Flagg and Kon Knueppel, experienced the physicality of playing against an older, more seasoned team. When Maluach was on the floor, Duke employed a deep drop coverage defense, which allowed Dickinson to hit a wide-open 3-pointer. However, coach Jon Scheyer quickly substituted Maluach for the more agile Maliq Brown, who is better suited to defend Dickinson on the perimeter.
The South Sudan national is averaging 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 75% from the field and 77.8% from the free throw line in his freshman campaign with the Blue Devils.
Duke will play its final game of November against Seattle on Friday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke falls short against Kansas
Before Tuesday’s game, no team had shot better than 39.6% against Duke, with the Blue Devils holding opponents to an average of 34.7% shooting this season.
However, Kansas found success with effective ball movement, generating numerous open shots. The Jayhawks finished the game shooting 49.1%, including 8 of 17 from beyond the arc (47.1%).
Kansas’ strong passing resulted in 22 assists on 28 made field goals, the most assists any team has had against Duke this season. Additionally, the Jayhawks outrebounded the Blue Devils 31-25, marking the first time this season that Duke recorded a negative rebounding margin.
This loss to the No. 1 team in the nation marked Duke’s first defeat to a top-ranked opponent since March 8, 2008, ending the Blue Devils' two-game winning streak against No. 1 teams. Duke had most recently defeated Gonzaga 84-81 on November 26, 2021, and Syracuse 66-60 on February 22, 2014.