Duke is in place seeding-wise to make one other deep run within the NCAA Match, however there are some questions on whether or not they’ll be wholesome sufficient to take action.
Freshman sensation Cooper Flagg suffered an ankle sprain in Duke’s win over Georgia Tech on Thursday that brought on him to overlook Duke’s closing two video games within the ACC Match, which it received on Saturday with its victory over Louisville. In that very same recreation, ahead Maliq Brown additionally suffered a shoulder damage that stored him out for the ultimate two video games of the ACC Match, too.
[MORE: 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket here]
The damage to Flagg, although, may change the course of the NCAA Match. The ahead is in a two-man race with Auburn’s Johni Broome for the Nationwide Participant of the 12 months honors. That perception was additional solidified on Tuesday as Flagg and Broome have been the one two gamers unanimously voted onto the AP All-American first workforce.
Flagg is moreover thought-about the heavy favourite to be the No. 1 total decide within the 2025 NBA Draft. As some consider he is among the best NBA prospects in current reminiscence, Flagg’s greater than lived as much as the hype in his freshman season at Duke. He leads the workforce in basically each main statistic, averaging 18.9 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per recreation.
As No. 1-seeded Duke takes on the winner of Wednesday’s First 4 recreation between Mount St. Mary’s and American on Friday, here is all the things we learn about Flagg’s damage.
What has Duke head coach Jon Scheyer mentioned of Cooper Flagg’s damage?
In his most up-to-date feedback about Flagg’s damage, Scheyer appeared hopeful that his prime star would be capable of play in Friday’s recreation. Nevertheless, Scheyer did not essentially assure that Flagg can be again for the Spherical of 64 matchup, both.
“From my perspective, it is full steam forward,” Scheyer told ESPN on Sunday. I wish to get Coop again as rapidly as I can, and he desires to do the identical. Clearly, tomorrow is necessary. At this time was an off day, we acquired again late (from the ACC match). We hope he can begin to progress beginning tomorrow with doing a little on-court work after which construct as much as the place he can apply later within the week.
“Our objective is for Friday. No query about that.”
Scheyer hasn’t met with the media since Sunday, with Duke touring to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the primary two rounds of the match.
What produce other individuals near Cooper Flagg and Duke mentioned about his damage?
Flagg’s mom, Kelly, is not sounding any alarms about her son’s damage. She advised Folks Journal that Flagg is “feeling nice.”
“I do know it was actually laborious for him to really feel helpless and never be on the market along with his workforce,” Kelly Flagg told People Magazine on Tuesday. “However I feel in the long term, this will likely find yourself figuring out nicely for our workforce as a result of the opposite guys actually stepped up and so they performed nice with out him and it gave them some confidence.”
Mike Krzyzewski, who has remained near this system since his retirement in 2022, has additionally said confidence that Flagg will not miss any time within the match.
“I feel Jon Scheyer did an amazing job and our medical employees saying proper from the beginning you are not enjoying, so it places in Cooper’s thoughts, ‘OK, I am gonna be utterly trustworthy,'” he mentioned on his podcast, “Basketball & Beyond with Coach K.” “You recognize this child desires to play. I feel he is nearly as good of a participant as there may be in faculty basketball — not assume, I do know he’s. So, you took that out of his thoughts and all people else’s thoughts.
“So Duke does not play till Friday, and I count on Cooper to play, however we’ll be higher because of him being out and going by these conditions, going by adversity.”
Did Cooper Flagg’s damage influence Duke’s seeding in any approach?
Whereas Flagg missed Duke’s closing video games in its run to successful the ACC Match, this system privately harassed to the choice committee that it could have its star for your entire NCAA Match.
“What we perceive from communication with Duke and the ACC, Cooper Flagg shall be accessible for the NCAA Match. So do not count on that to influence their seeding,” NCAA senior vice chairman of basketball Dan Gavitt told CBS Sports. “He isn’t the one vital damage. We’re monitoring different accidents from different groups. Participant availability is all the time a priority and a consideration and might doubtlessly influence seeding, particularly if a participant is unavailable to play within the NCAA Match. Participant availability can also be thought-about in evaluating a workforce throughout the common season based mostly on participant accidents and missed video games.”
At 31-3, Duke was seen as a lock to get a No. 1 seed. However there was some debate on whether or not it ought to get the No. 1 total seed because it received each the ACC regular-season and match titles. In fact, it did the latter with out Flagg within the lineup.
Nevertheless, Auburn acquired the No. 1 total seed when the sphere of 68 was introduced on Sunday. The Tigers received the SEC regular-season title, however misplaced three of their final 4 video games forward of the match. Auburn additionally misplaced to Duke earlier within the season.
Has Cooper Flagg’s damage impacted Duke’s title odds?
Flagg’s damage does not appear to have had any influence on Duke’s title odds. It has the very best odds of any workforce to achieve the Remaining 4, sitting at -120 odds to take action at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Tuesday night. The Blue Devils even have the very best odds to win the nationwide championship, sitting at +320 odds to win the title on DraftKings Sportsbook.
What are FOX Sports activities faculty basketball analysts saying about Cooper Flagg’s damage and Duke’s probabilities to make a title run?
FOX Sports activities faculty basketball broadcaster and author John Fanta has Duke successful the East Area, assured that Flagg will play within the match. He wrote that Duke has “no holes” if Flagg is wholesome and able to play.
“Flagg is predicted to play within the Large Dance regardless of his ankle damage, and when he does reappear, it will likely be the single-biggest storyline within the match after he averaged 19/8/4 within the common season,” Fanta wrote. “What is going to the phenom have in retailer on faculty basketball’s greatest stage? Watching him on each ends along with his excellent protection and skill to assault the rim is a deal with.”
Whereas Fanta has Duke within the Remaining 4, he believes the Blue Devils will lose to Houston in the semifinal. However FOX Sports activities faculty basketball author Michael Cohen has Duke chopping down the nets in San Antonio.
What’s Duke’s path to the nationwide championship?
Duke acquired the No. 1 seed within the East Area. It’s going to tackle the winner of Wednesday’s First 4 recreation between Mount St. Mary’s and American on Friday.
Within the probably occasion Duke wins within the Spherical of 64, it’s going to tackle both eighth-seeded Mississippi State or ninth-seeded Baylor. Duke’s attainable Candy 16 opponents are fourth-seeded Arizona, fifth-seeded Oregon, Twelfth-seeded Liberty and Thirteenth-seeded Akron.
Alabama and Wisconsin maintain the No. 2 and three seeds within the East Area, respectively. Sixth-seeded BYU and seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s are additionally amongst potential Elite Eight opponents if Duke makes it that far.
Along with Houston, Tennessee, Kentucky and Purdue are on Duke’s aspect of the bracket. So is Clemson, who was the final workforce to beat Duke.
Auburn and Florida, who’re the opposite two No. 1 seeds, are on the alternative finish of Duke’s bracket.
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