CHARLOTTE - In the first half of Duke’s 78-70 ACC Tournament win over Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at Spectrum Center, the Blue Devils were stung twice with injuries, as both Maliq Brown and ACC Player of the Year Cooper Flagg exited the contest.
Brown, who appeared to re-injure his left shoulder that sidelined him for four of the last five regular season contests, played just six minutes and received medical attention after leaving the arena.
Brown’s exit came in the middle of Duke’s first-half rally, as the Blue Devils eventually trimmed Georgia Tech’s 14-point lead down to five at the halftime break.
But the ACC regular season champions were unable to escape the first 20 minutes without another setback. With 2:46 left in the half, Flagg soared for a defensive rebound, with his left ankle turning upon landing.
The freshman was helped to the locker room, where he later required a wheelchair to get around. Flagg underwent imaging, which returned negative, and could be seen walking without assistance after missing the final 22:46 of Thursday’s quarterfinal contest.
North Carolina awaits the Blue Devils for a third matchup this season on Friday. It’s another installment of the Tobacco Road Rivalry, but according to Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer, it could look a little different.
Flagg may be in line to miss his first game of the season, as the Blue Devils have already secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“It's not about being ready to go (Friday). 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 tournament,” said Scheyer. “But I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go tomorrow. 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.”
Despite committing three first half fouls in last Saturday’s 82-69 win over the Tar Heels, Flagg tallied 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.
As for Brown, another lengthy absence could be in store, a situation that could impact UNC’s chances in Friday night’s semifinal.
“I'd rather not speculate. Obviously, he's going to miss time no matter what,” said Scheyer. “But my main concern is just seeing him in such pain. I would hate to speculate without really knowing.”
In the regular season finale against the Tar Heels, Brown’s production in the second half was the catalyst for Duke’s comeback. His two 3’s in the final 20 minutes aided the effort, but his defense on RJ Davis, who was scoreless over the final 17:43 of gametime, served as the game-changer.
As North Carolina searches for its second Quad One win of the season, the availability of Flagg and Brown could go a long way in determining the Tar Heels’ NCAA tournament fate.
