The North Carolina Tar Heels entered the ACC Tournament with a ton on the line, namely a spot in the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament. Whether it was Joe Lunardi or Jerry Palm, most Bracketology experts had Hubert Davis's UNC team among the First Four Out for March Madness coming into the conference tournament bracket.
On Wednesday after getting a bye to the second round, the Tar Heels easily thrashed Notre Dame to move into a quarterfinal matchup with Wake Forest. While it was a bit hairier againt the Demon Deacons, UNC passed that test as well to punch its ticket to the ACC Tournament semifinals and a rematch with Duke.
Among the Bracketology prognostication for the ACC Tournament and North Carolina, specifically, there was a sentiment that early wins would slightly help the Tar Heels but there was one thing that could put them over the top: Beating rival Duke after failing in two regular-season tries in order to get another Quad 1 win on the resumé.
After Duke's own ACC Tournament debut, a tight win over Georgia Tech, on Thursday, that might be more realistic than ever before for UNC.
Cooper Flagg injury gives UNC a big Bracketology boost in ACC Tournament
Late in the first half of Duke's win over the Yellow Jackets, star freshman Cooper Flagg suffered an ankle injury that forced him out for the rest of the game. While it looked as if it could've been dire for the Blue Devils first-year sensation, X-rays on the ankle were negative and the injury is ruled a sprain.
After the initial tests and the win for Duke, though, head coach Jon Scheyer was asked about Flagg's potential availability for the semifinal showdown with rival North Carolina. He called it a "longshot" that the star forward would be able to play against the Tar Heels, via The Associated Press and ESPN.
"It's not about being ready to go tomorrow. That's not the most important thing for us. We've got to see if we can get him right for this run that we can make in the [NCAA] tournament.
"But I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go [Friday]. He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won't be able to go anyway. But I think it's a real long shot, a real long shot."
While no one in Chapel Hill or any UNC fan would rightly wish injury on Flagg or any opposing player, it's not a stretch to say that Duke is far less fearsome without their star freshman on the floor. That could give North Carolina a prime opportunity to get the Quad 1 win that they direly need to secure a spot in March Madness without a shadow of a doubt.
Furthermore, a win versus rival Duke could make their position on the bubble ultimately moot. Winning on Friday would put the Heels into the ACC Championship Game on Saturday night and give UNC a shot at earning the conference's automatic bid.
There's also a chance that, with losses by Indiana, Ohio State and one of the Mountain West's bubble teams in a head-to-head between San Diego State and Boise State, North Carolina might've already done enough to get into the NCAA Tournament. A win over Duke would make that a certainty, and Flagg's injury, though unfortunate for college hoops as a whole depending on his recovery timetable, gives them the perfect opportunity to get that win.