Top-seeded Duke is set to hit the court Friday afternoon against No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Newark, New Jersey. But the big story? Freshman star Cooper Flagg is back.
Flagg missed the ACC semifinals and championship after spraining his ankle against Georgia Tech last week, but Duke put any doubts to rest on Thursday, announcing, “Coop update active tomorrow vs. Mount St. Mary’s.” Then, just hours before tipoff, they dropped a six-word message to hype up his return: The day we’ve been waiting for.”
Duke has been dominant all season, finishing No. 1 in the final AP rankings with a 31-3 record and a nearly perfect 19-1 run in the ACC. But March Madness is a fresh start one bad game, and it’s over. The Blue Devils enter the tournament as favorites to win it all and the most popular pick in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge, with over 20% of fans backing them to take the title.
How far they go could come down to Flagg’s health. The freshman phenom has led Duke in nearly every stat category this season points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and minutes.
Duke vs. Mount St. Mary’s tips off at 2:50 p.m. EST. The winner moves on to face either No. 9 seed Baylor or No. 8 seed Mississippi State in the second round.
