Duke's Cooper Flagg (ankle) is 'long shot' for ACC semifinals - ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke coach Jon Scheyer said it's a «real long shot» that freshman star Cooper Flagg will be able to play in the ACC tournament semifinals because of an ankle sprain.

Flagg rolled his left ankle in the first half of the top-ranked Blue Devils' 78-70 quarterfinal win against Georgia Tech. He hobbled off the court before heading to the locker room, then returned to the bench for the second half but didn't play again.

Scheyer said 6-foot-9 Flagg was already dealing with swelling and said he'd «have to be really convinced we should even consider seeing if he can go» in the semifinals Friday night.

Scheyer said X-rays showed no fracture for Flagg, the ACC's player and newcomer of the year, who averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists during the regular season.

«It's not about being ready to go tomorrow,» Scheyer said. «That's not the most important thing for us. We've got to see if we can get him right for this run that we can make in the [NCAA] tournament.

»But I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go [Friday]. He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won't be able to go anyway. But I think it's a real long shot, a real long shot."

Flagg wasn't available to speak with reporters afterward because he was receiving treatment for the injury, one of two significant hits the Blue Devils (29-3) took in the first half, also losing Maliq Brown, who again dislocated his left shoulder and was taken to the hospital.

The question is how long Duke might be without either player, posed with March Madness looming next week.

Duke was projected as the likely No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament coming into the game after taking over the top spot in the rankings