Duke basketball: Kyle Filipowski explains illness during Oral Roberts win

Duke basketball forward Kyle Filipowski explained his usual situation against Oral Roberts. 

It was not the NCAA Tournament debut Duke basketball freshman Kyle Filipowski was expecting for a multitude of reasons.

Despite his team running Oral Roberts out of the building, 75-51, Filipowski left the floor in the first half with stomach issues.

The CBS broadcast team reported that he was sick because of nerves, but Filipowski would return to the game and played 15 minutes in the opening stanza, although he only scored two points on just 1-of-5 shooting.

The Most Valuable Player of the ACC Tournament did have five rebounds and an assist prior to halftime as the Blue Devils led by 17 points, 40-23.

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Kyle Filipowski didn’t perform much better in the second half with a total of four points and four rebounds, only taking two shots and playing 11 minutes in the blowout.

Filipowski’s low shot numbers and minutes in the second half were primarily due to the score but it’s clear that the stage of the NCAA Tournament got to the freshman just a bit.

This isn’t the first time the 7-footer has been vomiting on the Blue Devil bench, although the first time was because of an inadvertent punch to the throat during the regular season against Virginia Tech.

Duke basketball freshman explains odd scenario

Kyle Filipowski explained his unusual situation to reporters after the game on Thursday night and said his illness can be attributed to some nerves but also bad food he ate at the hotel earlier in the day that did not sit well with him.

It certainly was not the biggest endorsement to the NCAA and the catered meals it is bringing to the teams in Orlando.

CBS never reported about the food situation at the Duke hotel, rather just the nerves of the tournament were getting to the young Blue Devil superstar.

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Nevertheless, Filipowski will play in Duke’s next game on Saturday in the Round of 32 with another trip to Madison Square Garden on the line.

Kyle Filipowski has also been dealing with an ankle injury that he suffered early in the first half of the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Pittsburgh, but the sprain did not slow him down in his triumph in Greensboro last weekend.