Duke basketball reveals Cooper Flagg's NCAA Tournament status to selection committee

The Duke basketball team is expecting to have Cooper Flagg back for the NCAA Tournament – or at least that is what they are telling the selection committee.

Less than 24 hours after Jon Scheyer said that the injured superstar would not play in the ACC Tournament Championship against Louisville because of his ankle injury, Dan Gavitt, the NCAA Senior VP of Basketball, told CBS that the Blue Devils have relayed that he will be able to play next week.

“We understand from communication with Duke and the ACC that Cooper Flagg will be available for the NCAA Tournament,” he said on Saturday afternoon.

“Don’t expect that to impact their seeding,”

Regardless of the outcome of the matchup with Louisville, the Blue Devils are expected to land the No. 1 seed in the East Region on Selection Sunday.

Flagg was injured late in the first half of Duke’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal victory over Wake Forest in which he was helped off the floor and transported to the X-Ray room via wheelchair.

However, he would return to the court to watch the second half without a noticeable brace or walking boot on his foot. Flagg also watched Duke’s victory over North Carolina in the semifinals without any extra protection on his ankle.

Flagg, the ACC Player of the Year, averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game on 48.8-percent shooting from the floor.

The Blue Devils will play its first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, meaning Cooper Flagg will have an extra day to rest his ankle with the subregional beginning on Friday.

Its meeting with the Tar Heels was the first time that Duke played without Flagg this season as freshman Isaiah Evans started in his place.

The Blue Devils will try and win the ACC Tournament at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) against the Cardinals.