Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Updates Cooper Flagg Status for NCAA Tournament Opener

The Duke basketball squad is almost back to full strength for its showdown against Mount St. Mary's.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg
Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
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Duke basketball freshman standout Cooper Flagg, the ACC Player of the Year, is back to playing strength. So, he's ready to battle for the No. 1 seed Blue Devils (31-3) when they begin their NCAA Tournament journey with an East Regional Round of 64 clash versus the No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (23-12) in Raleigh's Lenovo Center at 2:50 p.m. ET Friday.

ALSO READ: Ex-Blue Devil Forward Experiences Instant NCAA Tournament Exit

On Thursday afternoon, the Duke basketball social media team revealed that Flagg is a go for what figures to be the projected No. 1 overall draft pick's lone March Madness.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Flagg told the media about 30 minutes after the announcement. "We have an incredible team, incredible training staff. So we've been working through the steps of just getting back to 100 percent, and I feel very good.

"I'm very confident moving forward."

The 6-foot-9, 205-pound phenom sprained his left ankle in the Blue Devils' ACC Tournament quarterfinal victory over Georgia Tech, just one week before the program updated his status to "active."

Meanwhile, third-year head coach Jon Scheyer and his high-powered Blue Devils remain without the services of junior forward and elite defender Maliq Brown. He's been out with a left shoulder injury since the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.

Despite the absences of Brown and Flagg last week, Duke captured its second ACC Tournament crown under Scheyer's command.

ALSO READ: Duke's Jon Scheyer Gains Extra Motivation From NC State Banner

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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