The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils faced unexpected adversity during their ACC Tournament Quarterfinal matchup against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Jon Scheyer’s squad ended the first half trailing, and matters only worsened as star Cooper Flagg had to exit the game due to injury, casting doubts over his availability during March Madness.
Duke took sole possession of the number one spot in college basketball rankings after their statement victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Blue Devils are heavy favorites in the ACC tournament, taking place in Charlotte, though nobody said it would be easy for the school in Durham to crown themselves champions.
It’s gotten off to a very rough start in the ACC tournament. During Duke’s do-or-die game against Georgia Tech, the Blue Devils faced lots of adversity in such short notice, putting their season at stake, not just during the conference tourney, but ahead of the NCAA’s March Madness.
Unfortunate sequence
With under three minutes left in the opening half, Flagg leapt for a rebound but crumpled to the court at Spectrum Center upon landing, clutching his left ankle. In the blink of an eye, the Blue Devils watched their season hang on by a thread as their star player had to be helped off the court.
Before the second half began, the broadcast showed Flagg being taken to the X-ray room in a wheelchair, still unable to put any weight on his left ankle. Fortunately for the Blue Devils, their star freshman appears to have dodged a bullet.
Flagg was seen walking out from the X-ray room on his own power, after having to be carried on a wheelchair on his way in. Flagg returned to Duke’s bench to cheer on his teammates, though he has been officially ruled out for the second half.
Whether Flagg will be able to suit up for Duke in the remainder of the ACC tournament—if they advance past Georgia Tech—or in the upcoming NCAA competition remains unclear.
Already in injury trouble
Duke’s start to the postseason was far from ideal. Despite a great effort in the second half, without Flagg, highlighted by a 12-0 run, the school ran up to trouble as another star suffered a key injury.
Duke forward Maliq Brown re-injured his left shoulder during the first half as well, setting up a nightmare scenario for Scheyer and the Blue Devils who will be without two stars on the roster for the rest of the game against the Yellow Jackets, and possibly for some games going forward.
Brown has missed eight games this season—four early on due to a knee injury, and others following a shoulder injury sustained on Feb. 17. He made his return to the lineup last Saturday for the Tobacco Road rivalry matchup in Chapel Hill. As the junior exited the game against Georgia Tech, his season seems at risk of coming to an abrupt close.