Duke played without star freshman Cooper Flagg and key reserve Maliq Brown in their ACC tournament semifinal against North Carolina on Friday night. Flagg, who suffered a left ankle sprain during the previous game, was ruled out just over two hours before tipoff due to swelling and pain.
The Blue Devils’ coach, Jon Scheyer, had initially considered it unlikely that Flagg would be able to play in the semifinals. However, X-rays failed to show a fracture, and Flagg appeared to be managing his injury better than expected, walking without significant limp or assistance at Spectrum Center before the game.
Flagg averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during the regular season, while Maliq Brown had previously been dealing with a dislocated left shoulder. Both players were a significant loss for Duke’s lineup, but the team was still able to secure an 78-70 quarterfinal win against Georgia Tech on Thursday.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44253977/duke-rules-flagg-brown-acc-tournament-tilt-vs-unc