Duke secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and is now focused on getting its top player healthy for a deep run.
Cooper Flagg suffered a severe ankle sprain during the ACC tournament, and while the Blue Devils managed to win the conference title without him, his presence will be crucial for their NCAA tournament push. After the bracket was announced, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer appeared on ESPN to discuss the team’s preparation, with Flagg’s recovery being a key topic.
“For me, it’s full-steam ahead,” Scheyer said. “We want to get Coop back as soon as possible, and he wants the same… We’re optimistic he can start on-court work tomorrow and gradually build up to practicing later in the week. Our target is Friday—no doubt about it, and I know that’s his goal too.”
Duke will face the winner of American vs. Mount St. Mary’s in the First Four on Wednesday in Dayton. If Flagg isn’t fully recovered, the Blue Devils may not need him to play extended minutes in that game.
As the frontrunner for national player of the year, Flagg has been outstanding this season, averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals in 30.4 minutes per game across 32 contests. If Duke hopes to contend for a national championship, having him back in the lineup is essential.
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