Chico State Athletics

The Sweet 16 is a phrase all basketball fans know and love, conjuring images of shining moments and sports immortality. While leading his team beyond the Sweet 16 and into the Elite Eight for the second time ever, Chico State’s Malik Duffy became a member of another group of 16 that only three other Wildcats had ever experienced. He was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America team, joining Jay Flores (2012), Jordan Semple (2015), and Robert Duncan (2016) on the program's list of All-Americans.  
 
It was the last, and largest, accolades the big man accepted during a historic 2021-22 campaign for himself and the program. Duffy, who also received West Region and California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year honors, was named the Chico Enterprise-Record’s Chico State Male Senior Athlete of the Year last week.

Duffy averaged 16.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the 22-5 Wildcats. He was one of the nation's best shooters, knocking down threes at a 45-percent clip, 49% of his shots overall, and 84% of his free throws. Duffy also played the most minutes for the Wildcats, who ranked among the top defensive teams in the nation in scoring, field-goal percentage, and 3-point percentage. 
 
His impact on the program’s culture was just as great according to head coach Greg Clink.
 
“He's got as good a heart as anybody I've ever coached,” Clink said. “You couldn't ask for a better player, a better person, a better student."