AJ Griffin’s sprained left ankle might have been easy to forget amid Duke’s comeback in the last five minutes against Michigan State last weekend.

Now you can forget about the possibility of Griffin missing the Blue Devils’ Sweet 16 game against Texas Tech on Thursday night.

“He sprained his ankle, but he practiced (Tuesday),” coach Mike Krzyzewski said Wednesday. “Minimal soreness today, and we're getting ready to have a non-contact workout today.

“He'll be ready to go.”

The image of Griffin crumpled on the floor in the closing minutes against Michigan State – a game Duke ultimately won 85-76 – was a scary sight, given Griffin’s extensive injury history.

Krzyzewski’s endorsement of his health moving forward, plus Griffin’s participation in the Blue Devils’ non-contact workout Wednesday, was a positive sign that the star freshman won’t be hobbled when Duke plays Texas Tech.

It’s good news not only for obvious reasons, but because the Blue Devils figure to need all of the offensive weaponry they have at or close to full firepower against Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders feature the No. 1 defense in the country, per KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency metric. Texas Tech is especially stingy in the middle, cutting off driving opportunities and suffocating opposing offenses from the inside out.

So you’d figure Griffin, Duke’s deadliest 3-point shooter (66 of 145, 45.5% this season), is going to get some shots from behind the arc.

It’ll be a matter of the freshman making those shots; he’s made 4 of 18 3s in Duke’s last three games.