Duke's Flagg out for ACC semis vs. UNC

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has been ruled out of Friday's ACC Tournament semifinal contest against rival North Carolina due to a sprained ankle, the school announced.

Flagg suffered the injury Thursday against Georgia Tech after coming down with a rebound. He needed teammates to help him off the court and into the locker room but returned to the Blue Devils' bench under his own power.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said after the game that Flagg was a "real long shot" to play against UNC.

Flagg averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks in the regular season. The 18-year-old is expected to be the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown will also miss Friday's game after re-dislocating his shoulder Thursday. He recently missed almost three weeks due to the initial injury.

Duke, a presumptive No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, last won the ACC tourney in 2023. The Blue Devils hold the most conference championships with 22.