Duke freshman Cooper Flagg appeared to injure his left ankle after slipping under the basket and was helped to the locker room by two teammates late in the first half. He did not return.

So there's no great reason for Cooper Flagg to play Friday against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament semifinals one day after spraining his left ankle in a win over Georgia Tech. A potential Flagg absence would be good for UNC and likely best for a Duke program with eyes on a bigger prize.

Duke University’s men’s basketball success over the years—the national championships, the Final Four appearances, all the NBA players who’ve honed their craft down in Durham—has created a blue-chip brand.