How will Cooper Flagg's injury impact Arizona & NCAA Tournament East Region bracket?
In large part because of Cooper Flagg, the Duke Blue Devils (31-3) are the betting favorites to win the 2025 men's basketball national championship.
Duke, the No. 1 seed in the East Region, tips off the NCAA Tournament on Friday vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary's in Raleigh, North Carolina. Flagg, who rolled his ankle against Georgia Tech on March 13, is expected to play.
"We've been working through the steps of just getting back to 100 percent, and I feel very good," Flagg told the media in Thursday's press conference. "I'm very confident moving forward."
Flagg has not played since injuring his ankle, but Duke coach Jon Scheyer said he has full mobility in the ankle and is "100 percent."
Duke vs. Arizona in Sweet 16?
Duke will play the winner of Mississippi State vs. Baylor in the second round, then will potentially face No. 4 Arizona in the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils beat the Wildcats 69-55 way back on Nov. 22 in Tucson.
Arizona was a much different team in November. Motiejus Krivas was still in the lineup — he suffered a season-ending foot injury in December — and Henri Veesaar and Tobe Awaka had not yet emerged in Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd's "two-big" lineup.
Flagg was the difference in the game, scoring 24 points and racking up 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. On the season he is averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
If Arizona and Duke meet again next weekend, Lloyd has multiple defenders he can rotate on Flagg, including Carter Bryant, Trey Townsend and Awaka.
But the key will be Flagg's health. A moderate ankle sprain can take a minimum of three weeks to properly heal. With proper treatment and a high pain tolerance, it's possible to play on a moderate sprain a week later, but full range of motion and the ability to properly push off that ankle doesn't return quickly.
Flagg's game is built on explosiveness, and it will be interesting to see how he looks on Friday, just eight days removed from rolling his ankle.
More Arizona & Big 12 Analysis
-029877d49238355bd3388a94f90e3c72.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.