Sports Duke is in a right field seeding-wise to construct another deep depart within the NCAA Tournament, however there are some questions on whether or not they’re going to be wholesome adequate to non-public out so.
Freshman sensation Cooper Flagg suffered an ankle sprain in Duke’s gain over Georgia Tech on Thursday that precipitated him to put out of your mind Duke’s closing two video games within the ACC Tournament, which it obtained on Saturday with its victory over Louisville. In that identical game, forward Maliq Brown furthermore suffered a shoulder rupture that kept him out for the final two video games of the ACC Tournament, too.
[MORE: 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket here ]
The rupture to Flagg, despite the truth that, would possibly per chance per chance even commerce the direction of the NCAA Tournament. The forward is in a two-man urge with Auburn’s Johni Broome for the Nationwide Participant of the Year honors. That belief used to be additional solidified on Tuesday as Flagg and Broome were primarily the most productive two avid gamers unanimously voted onto the AP All-American first group.
Flagg is furthermore belief in regards to the heavy popular to be the No. 1 overall decide within the 2025 NBA Draft. As some take into consideration he is one in every of the appropriate NBA possibilities in contemporary memory, Flagg’s more than lived up to the hype in his freshman season at Duke. He leads the group in the truth is every predominant statistic, averaging 18.9 parts, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
As No. 1-seeded Duke takes on Mount St. Mary’s on Friday, right here’s all the pieces each person knows about Flagg’s rupture.
Flagg active for Friday Duke launched on Thursday that Flagg will seemingly be on the active roster for Friday’s matchup vs. Mount St. Mary’s.
What has Duke head coach Jon Scheyer acknowledged of Cooper Flagg’s rupture? In his most recent comments about Flagg’s rupture, Scheyer looked hopeful that his high huge name can have the selection to play in Friday’s game. Nonetheless, Scheyer didn’t primarily snort that Flagg shall be support for the Spherical of 64 matchup, both.
“From my perspective, it’s full steam ahead,” Scheyer told ESPN on Sunday. I are looking out to uncover Coop support as snappy as I can, and he desires to non-public out the identical. Obviously, the next day is essential. Recently used to be an off day, we got support gradual (from the ACC match). We hope he can initiating to growth initiating the next day with doing a small on-court work and then create up to the set he can word later within the week.
“Our goal is for Friday. No question about that.”
Scheyer hasn’t met with the media since Sunday, with Duke traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the major two rounds of the match.
What contain assorted of us shut to Cooper Flagg and Duke acknowledged about his rupture? Flagg’s mom, Kelly, is no longer the truth is sounding any alarms about her son’s rupture. She told Of us Magazine that Flagg is “feeling great.”
“I know it was really hard for him to feel helpless and not be out there with his team,” Kelly Flagg told Of us Magazine on Tuesday. “But I think in the long run, this may end up working out well for our team because the other guys really stepped up and they played great without him and it gave them some confidence.”
Mike Krzyzewski, who has remained shut to the program since his retirement in 2022, has furthermore stated self assurance that Flagg would possibly per chance per chance even no longer gallop over any time within the match.
“I think Jon Scheyer did a great job and our medical staff saying right from the start you’re not playing, so it puts in Cooper’s mind, ‘OK, I’m gonna be completely honest,'” he acknowledged on his podcast, “Basketball & Beyond with Coach K.” “You perceive this small one desires to play. I judge he is as right of a player as there would possibly per chance be in college basketball — no longer judge, I know he is. So, you took that out of his thoughts and each person else’s thoughts.
“So Duke doesn’t play until Friday, and I expect Cooper to play, but we’ll be better as a result of him being out and going through those situations, going through adversity.”
Did Cooper Flagg’s rupture impact Duke’s seeding in any manner? While Flagg uncared for Duke’s closing video games in its depart to a success the ACC Tournament, the program privately wired to the choice committee that it would contain its huge name for your total NCAA Tournament.
“What we understand from communication with Duke and the ACC, Cooper Flagg will be available for the NCAA Tournament. So don’t expect that to impact their seeding,” NCAA senior vice chairman of basketball Dan Gavitt told CBS Sports actions. “He is not the only significant injury. We are tracking other injuries from other teams. Player availability is always a concern and a consideration and can potentially impact seeding, especially if a player is unavailable to play in the NCAA Tournament. Player availability is also considered in evaluating a team during the regular season based on player injuries and missed games.”
At 31-3, Duke used to be viewed as a lock to uncover a No. 1 seed. However there used to be some debate on whether it will uncover the No. 1 overall seed because it obtained both the ACC abnormal-season and match titles. For sure, it did the latter without Flagg within the lineup.
Nonetheless, Auburn obtained the No. 1 overall seed when the field of 68 used to be launched on Sunday. The Tigers obtained the SEC abnormal-season title, however lost three of their final four video games before the match. Auburn furthermore lost to Duke earlier within the season.
Has Cooper Flagg’s rupture impacted Duke’s title odds? Flagg’s rupture would no longer seem to contain had any impact on Duke’s title odds. It has the appropriate odds of any group to succeed within the Final Four, sitting at -120 odds to non-public out so at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Tuesday night. The Blue Devils furthermore contain the appropriate odds to gain the nationwide championship, sitting at +320 odds to gain the title on DraftKings Sportsbook.
What are FOX Sports actions college basketball analysts pronouncing about Cooper Flagg’s rupture and Duke’s possibilities to construct a title depart? FOX Sports actions college basketball broadcaster and writer John Fanta has Duke a success the East Field, confident that Flagg will play within the match. He wrote that Duke has “no holes” if Flagg is wholesome and able to play.
“Flagg is expected to play in the Big Dance despite his ankle injury, and when he does reappear, it will be the single-biggest storyline in the tournament after he averaged 19/8/4 in the regular season,” Fanta wrote. “What will the phenom have in store on college basketball’s biggest stage? Watching him on both ends with his outstanding defense and ability to attack the rim is a treat.”
While Fanta has Duke within the Final Four, he believes the Blue Devils will lose to Houston within the semifinal. However FOX Sports actions college basketball writer Michael Cohen has Duke cutting down the nets in San Antonio.
What is Duke’s path to the nationwide championship? Duke obtained the No. 1 seed within the East Field. It would lift on Mount St. Mary’s on Friday.
Within the seemingly match Duke wins within the Spherical of 64, it is going to lift on both eighth-seeded Mississippi Command or ninth-seeded Baylor. Duke’s that you just must perhaps even take into consideration Candy 16 opponents are fourth-seeded Arizona, fifth-seeded Oregon, 12th-seeded Liberty and thirteenth-seeded Akron.
Alabama and Wisconsin preserve the No. 2 and 3 seeds within the East Field, respectively. Sixth-seeded BYU and seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s are furthermore among attainable Elite Eight opponents if Duke makes it that far.
To boot to to Houston, Tennessee, Kentucky and Purdue are on Duke’s aspect of the bracket. So is Clemson, who used to be the final group to beat Duke.
Auburn and Florida, who are the assorted two No. 1 seeds, are on the reverse spoil of Duke’s bracket.
Want sizable stories delivered intellectual to your inbox? Manufacture or log in to your FOX Sports actions legend, word leagues, teams and avid gamers to receive a custom-made e-newsletter every single day .
Web more from School Basketball Notice your favorites to uncover records about video games, news and more
