Duke futures bettors waited with bated breath as their worst nightmare occurred in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. Cooper Flagg, favored to win the Wooden Award ahead of Thursday's action, left in the first half against Georgia Tech with a left ankle injury. Given the potential significance of this news, let's assess the latest information on the Cooper Flagg injury and how sportsbooks initially altered Duke's March Madness odds.
Cooper Flagg Injury: College Basketball Betting Impact
When Flagg was taken back to the locker room during the first half with an apparent ankle injury, FanDuel Sportsbook quickly adjusted Duke's national title odds to as high as +700, behind Auburn (+310), Houston (+650), and Florida (+650). CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein reported that ESPN showed Cooper Flagg being moved via wheelchair due to the injury.
Meanwhile, BetMGM Sportsbook raised Duke from +325 to +375, with Auburn taking its spot atop the odds board at +325.
Will the cooper Flagg injury cost him ACC semifinals?
Flagg returned to the bench near the start of the second half, notably without a wheelchair. Arguably the premier player in college basketball, Cooper Flagg has manufactured 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. He's been ultra-efficient from behind the arc, hitting 37.7% of his three-point attempts.
Duke overcame a 14-point first-half deficit against Georgia Tech and will play UNC in the ACC tournament semifinals. In the postgame press conference, Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer told reporters that Flagg suffered a sprained left ankle, and X-rays were negative.
Nevertheless, Scheyer also said Flagg is a "real long shot (to play on Friday) ... (I'd) have to be really convinced we should even consider seeing if he can go."
The Tar Heels were swept by the arch-rival Blue Devils in the regular season. Taking the court with their bracketology odds at stake, Hubert Davis' squad would greatly benefit from Duke's potential caution.
As of Thursday afternoon at Caesars Sportsbook, Scheyer's bunch is a seven-point favorite against UNC.
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