In a thrilling Thursday afternoon encounter, Duke Basketball clawed back from a significant first-half deficit to edge past Georgia Tech 78-70 in the quarterfinals of the 2025 ACC Tournament. While the victory was a testament to their resilience, the game was marred by unfortunate injuries to key players.
In the spotlight were the injuries sustained by the Blue Devils during the intense first half against the Yellow Jackets. Junior forward Maliq Brown was the first to suffer, going down with what appeared to be a shoulder issue. Not long after, the crowd held its breath as Cooper Flagg, the ACC Player of the Year, had to be assisted off the court due to an ankle injury.
Brown’s mishap occurred during a defensive play when he absorbed contact from a Georgia Tech drive. As he reached out with his already injured shoulder in an attempt to strip the ball, the movement seemed to aggravate his shoulder further. In visible discomfort, Brown was quickly sidelined and then taken to the locker room, eventually leaving the arena to undergo further medical assessment.
Meanwhile, Flagg’s incident unfolded as he leapt for a defensive rebound. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly, his left ankle twisting as he came down on a Georgia Tech player’s foot. The 6-foot-9 freshman, clearly in pain, was escorted to the bench and then, with the help of two teammates, moved to the locker room to avoid putting more pressure on his injured ankle. In one of the more dramatic moments of the day in college basketball, Flagg was wheeled to the X-ray facility.
At the time of Flagg’s injury, Duke was trailing 26-12. However, they staged an impressive comeback, rallying behind freshman Kon Knueppel’s career-high 28 points, clinching the win by an eight-point margin.
After the match, head coach Jon Scheyer addressed the media, revealing that Flagg’s X-rays showed no fractures, diagnosing him with a sprained ankle. Although Flagg didn’t return to the court, he was able to walk unassisted after the game. Scheyer mentioned that the freshman’s status for upcoming games remains uncertain, with ongoing medical support in place as they prepare for their 7 PM showdown against either Wake Forest or North Carolina.
Flagg’s recovery largely depends on how much swelling occurs overnight, according to Scheyer.
On the other hand, the outlook for Brown is less optimistic. Scheyer confirmed that the 6-foot-9 defensive specialist was taken to a nearby hospital for a recurrent shoulder dislocation and is experiencing significant pain. While the coach refrained from giving additional details, it seems doubtful that Brown will return to play this season.
