Duke is one win away from the ACC tournament championship and likely securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but it will have to play one more game without its star player.
In the first half of Duke’s quarterfinal matchup against Georgia Tech, freshman sensation Cooper Flagg sustained a left ankle injury after he took an awkward landing from a rebound attempt. He didn’t play the rest of the game as the Blue Devils beat the Yellow Jackets, and in the semifinal matchup against rival North Carolina, Flagg was on the bench in street clothes as his team fended off a late comeback from the Tar Heels.
Now with Duke set to face Louisville for the conference crown on Saturday, Flagg will be a spectator again. Here’s the latest updates on Flagg’s injury status for the ACC tournament final:
Will Cooper Flagg play today?
No, Flagg will not play against the Cardinals.
After Friday’s 74-71 win over North Carolina, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer addressed his star player’s injury and determined he wouldn’t play.
‘As far as Cooper goes, he’s doing better. Sprained ankle, all the imaging came back negative. He sprained it pretty good, though. It’s a good sprain. I’m not breaking any news. He’s not going to play tomorrow. He can’t play,’ Scheyer said Friday night.
Scheyer had previously said it was a ‘long shot’ Flagg would come back for any more games in the ACC tournament. Now he said the focus will be on making sure Flagg is healthy enough for March Madness next week.
‘Our goal is to have him ready for the tournament. But we need to see how this weekend goes with the swelling and what he can do,’ he said.
Flagg appeared to be in a good condition during Friday’s game, walking on his own and was seen celebrating with teammates on big plays.
What is Cooper Flagg’s injury?
Flagg suffered a sprained ankle, Scheyer confirmed.
Cooper Flagg stats
The Blue Devils will certainly be without a major contributor against Louisville on Saturday as Flagg leads the team in several statistical categories, including points (18.9), rebounds (6.1), assists (4.1), blocks (1.3) and steals (1.5) per game.
Flagg’s stellar play this season has put him on the list of 15 men’s players on the ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding men’s and women’s college basketball players. He is one of the favorites to win the award along with Auburn’s Johni Broome.