Duke coach Jon Scheyer said it’s a “real longshot” that freshman star Cooper Flagg will be able to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals because of an ankle sprain.

The 6-foot-9 Flagg rolled his left ankle in the first half of the top-ranked Blue Devils’ 78-70 quarterfinal win against Georgia Tech on Thursday. He hobbled off the court before heading to the locker room, then returned to the bench for the second half but didn’t play again.

Scheyer said Flagg was already dealing with swelling and said he’d “have to be really convinced we should even consider seeing if he can go” in the semifinals on Friday night. Scheyer said X-rays showed no fracture for Flagg, named Tuesday as The Associated Press league player and newcomer of the year.

No. 13 Louisville 75, Stanford 73 >> Chucky Hepburn’s putback jumper at the buzzer helped No. 13 Louisville overcome a 15-point second-half deficit to beat Stanford and advance to the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

Terrence Edwards scored 25 points and Hepburn added 20 for the Cardinals (26-6), who’ve won 10 straight. Noah Waterman and James Scott each had 12.

Oziyah Sellers had 22 points and Maxime Raynaud added 17 points for Stanford (20-13), which was playing in its first ACC Tournament.

Golf

Villegas and Glover among those sharing Players lead >> Lucas Glover had nine birdies in his round of 6-under 66 at The Players Championship, leaving him tied with Camilo Villegas and J.J. Spaun, who managed to get around the TPC Sawgrass without a bogey.

Max McGreevy, who tied the tournament record for the highest score two years ago with an 89, had a chance to join them. He was at 5 under and faced a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole when play was suspended by darkness.

Rory McIlroy made four birdies from tee shots that found the rough or the pine straw, including the 18th hole when he punched a shot off the pine straw and out of the trees to 7 feet, putting him in the group at 67. MLB

Tampa Bay Rays withdraw from planned $1.3 billion ballpark >> The Tampa Bay Rays withdrew from a $1.3 billion project to construct a new ballpark adjacent to Tropicana Field, citing a hurricane and delays that likely drove up the proposal’s cost.

The team issued a statement by principal owner Stuart Sternberg saying “a series of events” in October, which included severe damage to the Trop and financing delays, led to what he called “this difficult decision.”

Displaced from the Trop in St. Petersburg, the Rays are set to play their home games this season across Tampa Bay at the New York Yankees’ spring training home, 11,000-seat Steinbrenner Field. Meanwhile, repairs are envisioned to the Trop, including replacing its roof shredded by Hurricane Milton, that would have it ready for the 2026 season.

Red Sox pitcher Giolito to open season on injured list >> The Boston Red Sox will open the season with three starting pitchers on the injured list after right-hander Lucas Giolito strained his left hamstring.

Giolito left his first spring training start against Philadelphia after one inning when his hamstring tightened. Giolito told reporters the strain was low-grade.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the right-hander will start the season on the injured list.

Giolito will join fellow starters Brayan Bello (shoulder) and Kutter Crawford (knee) on the injured list ahead of Boston’s March 27 opener at Texas.

Mets’ McNeil to open season on injured list >> New York Mets All-Star infielder Jeff McNeil will open the season on the injured list because of a strained right oblique.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that the 2022 big league batting champion has a low grade strain. McNeil won’t participate in baseball activities for a week to 10 days and likely will be sidelined for three to four weeks.

TV

NBC and IOC sign $3B Olympic media rights deal >> NBC will now be the champion of Olympic broadcasting in the United States through at least 2036.

The IOC said it signed its long-time United States broadcast partner to a $3 billion renewed deal for the 2034 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2036 Summer Games.

The International Olympic Committee’s statement said the agreement elevates Comcast NBCUniversal to being a strategic partner instead of just a media rights holder, promising “innovative joint strategic initiatives and projects” and involving the streaming platform Peacock.

Journalism

Feinstein, one of country’s foremost sports writers, dies at 69 >> John Feinstein, one of the country’s foremost sports writers and the author of numerous bestselling books, died unexpectedly Thursday. He was 69.

Feinstein died of natural causes at his brother’s home in McLean, Virginia. Robert Feinstein said he discovered John’s body.

Feinstein was comfortable writing about an array of sports, but he was best-known for his connection to college basketball because of his groundbreaking book “A Season on the Brink.”