The No. 1-seeded Duke Blue Devils are set to take the court on Friday afternoon when they face off against No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Newark, New Jersey.
While the excitement is palpable for the ACC regular season and tournament champions, it also marks the return of freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, who suffered an ankle sprain against Georgia Tech last week. The injury forced him to miss both the semifinals and the championship of the conference tournament.
Duke confirmed his status on Thursday, posting, “Coop update –> active tomorrow vs. Mount St. Mary’s.”
Yet, on Friday, just hours before the game, the Blue Devils posted a six-word message to set the stage for the team’s matchup and Flagg’s return to the court after having one of the best freshman seasons in Duke history:
“The day we’ve been waiting for,” Duke posted.Duke has had a remarkable season, remaining near the top of the rankings throughout the year. This culminated in them earning the No. 1 spot in the final AP rankings of the regular season.
However, despite a 31-3 record and a 19-1 mark in the ACC, the NCAA Tournament is a new season, where every team starts at 0-0. One loss can end your season.
The Blue Devils are carrying that pressure on their shoulders as not only the betting favorites to win the national championship but also as the most picked team in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge, with over 20% of the public selecting them in their brackets.
How far they go could ultimately depend on the health of Cooper Flagg, who led the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and minutes played this season.
Duke’s matchup with Mount St. Mary’s is scheduled to tip off at 2:50 p.m. EST, with the winner advancing to face either No. 9 seed Baylor or No. 8 seed Mississippi State in the second round.
