Duke’s March Madness odds plummet after Cooper Flagg injury

The entire Duke fanbase — and the broader college basketball world — was sent into a state of collective shock when Blue Devils freshman Cooper Flagg landed awkwardly on a rebound attempt late in the first half of Thursday's ACC Tournament victory over Georgia Tech.

The exceptionally talented 18-year-old went straight to the ground, where he writhed in pain and grabbed at a limp ankle. After being helped off the floor by teammates, Flagg was seen in the tunnel riding a wheelchair.

Folks thought the worst. Understandably so.

Cooper Flagg injury update was tentatively positive

Thankfully, Flagg appears to have avoided a catastrophic injury. He suffered an ankle sprain, with X-rays coming back negative, per Duke head coach Jon Scheyer. Flagg was able to return to the sideline to support his teammates in the second half, walking under his own power. That's a good sign.

Still, Flagg's immediate future is exceedingly murky. We are still awaiting more specifics on the severity of Flagg's sprain, but ankles are a fickle friend. Duke cannot rush him back, and this is a suboptimal time to get hurt (as if there's ever an optimal time). We can't say for sure if Flagg will return in the ACC Tournament. Beyond that, his fate for the rest of March Madness is undetermined.

The Blue Devils are trending toward a No. 1 seed in the big dance, but losing Flagg would complicate their path to glory. The folks in Las Vegas don't appear very confident in the Blue Devils' outlook.

Cooper Flagg's ankle injury has severely impacted the Duke title odds

Per FanDuel's Cousin Sal, Duke's title odds dropped to +700 after the injury. They were +330 on Thursday morning, before Flagg crumpled to the floor. Duke went from second, behind only Auburn (+310), to fourth, behind Houston (+650) and Florida (+650). Plus, Alabama (+950) is right on Duke's heels as a powerhouse from the ultra-competitive SEC.

This will ebb and flow in the days to come, of course, and it's worth noting that Duke mounted an impressive comeback without Flagg. The Blue Devils are a deep and talented bunch, with several players capable of stepping into the void left by Flagg, should he miss an extended period of time.

Duke can rely on Kon Kneuppel in Cooper Flagg's absence

Fellow freshman and projected lottery pick Kon Knueppel finished Thursday's bout with 28 points and eight assists on 7-of-14 shooting, shouldering increased on-ball duties with Flagg on the sideline. Knueppel has all the makings of a March hero, combining grit and skill with a level of composure beyond his years. Meanwhile, upperclassmen like Tyrese Proctor and Sion James, who know the ropes a bit better, can also help Duke keep its head above water.

Duke is the highest rated team on KenPom by a comfortable margin (+38.84 NetRtg, which is three full points better than second-best Auburn). That's only a single metric, and Flagg has contributed substantially to Duke's dominance all season long, but the Blue Devils don't operate at such a high level because of a single star. It's a group effort. Flagg is elite, but he also has a sturdy apparatus around him. One that shouldn't fall apart completely in his absence.

With Georgia Tech dispatched, Duke will battle North Carolina (again) in the ACC Tournament semis. Duke has made quick work of UNC this season with Flagg in the lineup. The Tar Heels are playing for their March lives, though, so it'll be interesting to see how the dynamics shift without Flagg in the mix, assuming that's the case.

It's too early to scratch Duke off of your bracket, but if Flagg does miss an extended period — such as the remainder of his freshman campaign — there's a good chance the Blue Devils exit earlier than expected, even if it's hard fought to the bitter end.