By ADAM ZAGORIA
WASHINGTON — Duke freshman Cam Reddish will be a game-time decision with a left knee injury for Sunday’s Elite Eight game with Michigan State, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Saturday.
“We’ll see, if he’s progressed, we’ll try to get him to shoot,” Coach K said.
He added there’s “nothing structural” with the knee and also called it “jumper’s knee” or “tendonitis”
Reddish was scratched from the starting lineup just before Duke’s 75-73 win over Virginia Tech at Capitol One Arena, and never played as Duke eked out its second straight nail-biter to get within one win of another Final Four.
Reddish told reporters he felt something in his knee during the initial pregame shootaround. Alex O’Connell started in place of the 6-foot-8 Reddish, who averages 13.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
“We didn’t know until right before the game that he was not going to be able to play,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said late Friday. “He went out. He just had something wrong with his knee. He was limping. But we didn’t find out until right before the game.”
Duke alum and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas noted that Reddish’s absence would be big for the Blue Devils.
“If he’s unable to play, it’s a blow because he’s the best shooter that Duke has because he’s able to stretch the defense, you have to go out and hard him,” Bilas said on air. “And he’s also a good defensive player because he’s 6-8 and he’s long-armed and he’s a very good anticipatory defender. He’ll get out in passing lanes, he can get steals, he’s able to knock the ball away, he’s one of the top steals guys in the ACC this year.”
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