NCAA Tournament can wait: No. 1 Duke, No. 13 Louisville want ACC title

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While the perception exists that the Atlantic Coast Conference competition isn’t what it used to be, don’t tell that to the teams that will play Saturday night for the ACC tournament title.It will be a marquee matchup in the championship game when No. 1-ranked Duke (30-3) and No. 13 Louisville (27-6) meet. Both have put together stellar seasons and hope for a long run in the NCAA Tournament.And a conference tournament title, of course.”Mindset is the biggest thing, and I want our guys to have that mindset of going for it,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “Just go for it. I remind them all the time, you’re right where you want to be.”Duke will appear in the game for the 36th time and will pursue its 23rd tournament championship. Louisville, which joined the ACC in the 2013-14 season, is seeking its first.Scheyer has the Blue Devils in the title game for the second time in his three seasons since succeeding longtime coach Mike Krzyzewski.The final will lack the biggest name in college basketball this season as Duke freshman Cooper Flagg will sit out for the second game in a row with a sprained ankle.But that doesn’t dismiss the magnitude of the matchup, with top-seeded Duke potentially snatching the overall No. 1 seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament and second-seeded Louisville lining up for more in its bounce-back season after an 8-24 campaign in 2023-24.”It’s pretty sweet,” Duke freshman Kon Knueppel said of playing in the title game after going 19-1 in the ACC regular season. “Good to get two wins (so far in the tournament) and play for the title. We’ll be ready, and it’s a great challenge to get a second championship here this season.”Scheyer said Flagg’s condition has improved since the ACC Player of the Year’s departure in the first half of Duke’s tournament opener on Thursday against Georgia Tech. But the Blue Devils are looking at the big picture at this time in the season.”He’s not going to play (Saturday),” Scheyer said. “He can’t play. But our goal is to have him ready for the (NCAA Tournament). We need to see how this weekend goes with the swelling and what he can do.”Louisville coach Pat Kelsey acknowledged the impact on Duke playing without Flagg. But he said the Blue Devils have a lot of depth and talent.”It’s like Noah’s Ark,” Kelsey said. “They have two of everything.”

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