Is Khaman Maluach playing tonight? Exploring Duke freshman's availability vs Kansas (Nov 26)

Khaman Maluach has a healthy status heading into tonight's matchup against No. 1 Kansas. He has no injuries listed, having played in all five of No. 11 Duke's games to start the season. The confirmation of his availability will be known before the 9 p.m. ET.

Khaman Maluach has helped Duke's defense to start the campaign

Regarded as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2024 and being No. 1 at the center position, Khaman Maluach is doing his best to live up to expectations as a Blue Devils freshman. He entered the season with a lot of hype and he's started his college career on a strong note.

With Duke off to a solid start, Maluach is averaging 9.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on 76.9% shooting. Against Arizona on Friday, he finished with eight points, three rebounds and a block in 16 minutes.

Maluach's defensive presence has helped the Blue Devils start the campaign with a 4-1 record. They only allow 57.4 points per game, limiting their competition to shooting 34.7%, including 25.8% from beyond the arc. They also average 8.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per contest, in contrast to just 7.2 steals and 2.8 blocks from their opponents.

This defensive activity has benefitted the Blue Devils' offense in gaining more shot opportunities, averaging 84.6 points on 47% shooting and 37% from downtown. Among the players responsible for Duke's offensive success are Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor, among others. Flagg leads the way with 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds, Knueppel averages 14.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg and Proctor has the most 3-pointers made on 45.5% efficiency.

After tonight's game, Khaman Maluach and Duke will return home to host Seattle at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Auburn on Dec. 4 at 9:15 p.m. ET.