NCAA’s Gavitt: Duke tells selection committee Flagg will be ready for tourney

Top-ranked Duke and the Atlantic Coast Conference have informed the NCAA Tournament selection committee that freshman Cooper Flagg will be available for March Madness, NCAA senior vice president for basketball Dan Gavitt said Saturday.

Gavitt made the comments on CBS in the lead-up to Sunday’s announcement of the field of 68 teams. Flagg sprained his left ankle during Duke’s win against Georgia Tech on Thursday in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

The 6-foot-9 forward — named the ACC player and newcomer of the year by The Associated Press on Tuesday — missed Friday’s semifinal win against rival North Carolina. Afterward, coach Jon Scheyer ruled Flagg out for Saturday night’s title game against No. 13 Louisville

Flagg sat on the bench in black warmups during the UNC game, standing at the back of huddles with injured teammate Maliq Brown (shoulder). Flagg walked with no major limp or protective boot during Friday’s game.

Gavitt said Flagg’s status isn’t the only injury the committee is tracking through the weekend since player availability can play a factor in a team’s seeding.

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