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Duke basketball confirms Dariq Whitehead's status at Virginia

Dariq Whitehead is available for the first time in almost three weeks.
Matt Giles|
Duke basketball confirms Dariq Whitehead's status at Virginia
Duke basketball confirms Dariq Whitehead's status at Virginia

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Duke Blue Devils

He'll likely come off the bench. And chances are he'll see limited minutes. But Duke basketball freshman Dariq Whitehead will be suited up when the unranked Blue Devils (17-7, 8-5 ACC) face the No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers (18-4, 10-3 ACC) in Charlottesville at 4 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN), the program announced hours before tipoff.

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Whitehead, a 6-foot-7 forward who arrived in Durham at No. 2 on the 247Sports 2022 Composite and as a projected one-and-done lottery pick, has not seen game action since suffering a left lower leg sprain early in the second half of Duke's 78-75 road loss to Virginia Tech on Jan. 23.

On Friday, ESPN's Dick Vitale tweeted that Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer told him Whitehead would be back in action. But it didn't become official until the program sent out a press release on Saturday morning.

The Blue Devils went 3-1 in Whitehead's latest four-game absence. And they are 5-3 in all outings he's missed, including the season's first three games, which the 18-year-old sat out due to his recovery from the fracture in his right foot that he sustained in late August (he missed Duke's loss at Wake Forest in December due to an illness).

Although Dariq Whitehead is averaging only 8.4 points and 2.3 rebounds across his 16 appearances, he's putting up 10.0 points per game in ACC play while shooting 44.4 percent from downtown. 

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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