The Duke Blue Devils may have dodged a bullet during their ACC tournament debut, in their quarterfinal matchup against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. However, the concerns about Cooper Flagg’s ankle injury are still looming, and head coach Jon Scheyer’s update wasn’t exactly what the Cameron Crazies hoped to hear ahead of March Madness.
The freshman sensation in college basketball, Cooper Flagg, had fans at Spectrum Center, and everybody watching on TV at the edge of their seats after exiting the game against Georgia Tech with an ankle injury. Every Cameron Crazies’ heart skipped a beat after the 18-year-old forward was seen on a wheelchair heading to the X-ray room.
Luckily for Duke and NCAA fans, Flagg’s injury wasn’t as severe as initially feared. He was able to walk on his own, without a boot, as he returned to the bench to watch the second half of the matchup with the Yellow Jackets. Flagg was ruled out for the game, and his future availability remains uncertain, though Scheyer’s comments suggest a less-than-encouraging outlook.
After the Blue Devils‘ 78-70 triumph, Scheyer dropped an honest statement about Flagg’s injury during his postgame press conference.
Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils
“We’ve got to see if we can get him right for this run that we can make in the [NCAA] tournament,” Scheyer stated, almost entirely discarding Flagg’s participation during the rest of the ACC tournament, via ESPN. “It’s not about being ready to go tomorrow. That’s not the most important thing for us.”
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Cooper Flagg leaves Duke game with injury: What we know so far ahead of March Madness
ACC semifinals
After Duke’s impressive rally from behind in the second half, while missing Flagg and Maliq Brown, the Blue Devils punched their ticket to the semifinal stage, where they’ll take on rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday, March the 14th at 7pm EST. It will be the third meeting of the season between Duke and UNC, with Duke coming out victorious in both regular-season matchups.
Scheyer stated his main goal is having Flagg healthy for March Madness, with the ACC tourney taking a backseat in Duke’s list of priorities. However, there is still a slight chance—perhaps minuscule, but lingering nevertheless.
“I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go,” Scheyer added. “He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won’t be able to go anyway. But I think it’s a real longshot. I am going to have to be convinced by everybody in the locker room that he should go back and play.”
Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils
Maliq Brown’s injury
Flagg’s injury scare grabbed all the headlines and took center stage, but it was actually Maliq Brown’s re-injury to his left shoulder that proved to be the more severe incident during Duke’s win over Georgia Tech. Brown had missed four of the final five games of the regular season due to the injury, and in his second game back, he aggravated the area.
“Scheyer said he won’t speculate in Maliq Brown’s injury but says he will miss time. Hopes he returns,” Sports Illustrated writer Bryan Fischer stated on his X account.
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NCAAB News: Coach makes bold Cooper Flagg-Caitlin Clark comparison after an outstanding freshman season
Without Brown, and possibly without Flagg, Duke will look to fulfill their first goal: crowning themselves ACC champions in the 2025 season. While hope in Durham remains that Flagg can return for the NCAA‘s March Madness tournament, the focus must first shift to their next challenge—their second Tobacco Road Rivalry game against the Tar Heels in less than a week.
