“This is a flex? I’m confused”: College hoops fans unfazed as Cooper Flagg-less Duke cover 14-point deficit to win vs. Georgia Tech

Duke Blue Devils fans gasped when Cooper Flagg sprained his ankle in a 78-70 ACC quarterfinal win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Thursday. The likely future No. 1 pick in the NBA draft went down with a few minutes left in the first half.

Following his injury, top-ranked Duke was down by as many as 14 points in the second half. However, following some impressive play by the rest of the roster, Duke (29-3) rallied to win by eight points.

After the win, the ACC Network posted about the comeback on Instagram. College hoops fans had a lot to say about that.

"This is a flex? I'm confused," one wrote.

College hoops fans unfazed as Cooper Flagg-less Duke covers 14-point deficit to win vs. Georgia Tech.

A fan said, "*pretends to act surprised. Duke is the 2nd best team in the nation. They should win by 20+."

Another added, "Tech had 8 scholarship players healthy lol, not a flex."

However, some fans commended Duke's efforts.

A fan stated, "WE GOT DAWGS IN DURHAM."

Another said, "Where’s all the “Duke ain’t linens without Cooper Flagg” haters!? Duke still going to win the ACC tournament and natty btw 😈🏆."

One added, "All these ignorant fans wanna be like how did u only what Georgia tech by this much. If u actually watched it Georgia tech was shooting lights out they played their best game all season."

The Blue Devils were led by Kon Knueppel, who scored 28 points. Knueppel took over the scoring workload in the second half in the absence of Cooper Flagg. He was supported by Isaiah Evans, who put up 14 points, and Khaman Maluach, who racked up 14 points and nine rebounds. The win was Duke's ninth consecutive victory.

What's next for the Duke Blue Devils?

The Duke Blue Devils will now wait for the prognosis for Cooper Flagg's injury. The freshman superstar landed awkwardly on Baye Ndongo’s foot, with Flagg coming down from getting a rebound. Maliq Brown also re-dislocated his shoulder in the game. It's impressive that the Blue Devils won despite injuries to two of their best players.

Next up for the Blue Devils is an ACC semifinal match against North Carolina (22-12), which beat Wake Forest 68-59 on Thursday. Duke swept UNC 87-70 and 82-69 during the regular season, so the fan base can still confidently enter the semifinals.

However, all eyes will now be on the health of the National Player of the Year Award front-runner. Flagg's availability for March Madness could make or mar Duke's championship aspirations.