Duke's Tre Jones' Shoulder Injury vs. Syracuse Diagnosed as AC Joint Separation

Duke guard Tre Jones was forced to leave Monday's game against Syracuse after just six minutes because of a shoulder injury, and he was unable to return. After the game, head coach Mike Krzyzewski said a sprained shoulder caused a "ton of pain," per Adam Rowe of 247Sports.

The official injury is considered an AC joint separation, per CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish. His timetable for return is not yet known, but the outlook isn't positive.

"(Tre Jones) will be out for a while I think," the coach said, per Rowe.

The Blue Devils struggled without the freshman Monday, losing 95-91 in overtime for just their second loss of the season.

Jones was off to an outstanding start to the game before his injury, totaling two points, two assists and four steals in limited playing time.

While teammates Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett have gotten more publicity, the point guard has been just as vital to the team's success this year, entering Monday with 8.5 points, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He is a catalyst on offense as well as one of the best perimeter defenders in the country.

Jay Williams of ESPN discussed the player's value while also showing his emotion coming off the court:

Even one missed game could be devastating for Duke, which is scheduled to play undefeated Virginia on Saturday. However, the team has to be concerned about an extended absence from the 5-star recruit.

Alex O'Connell will likely get more minutes while Jones is out, but Barrett has to take on more of a facilitating role leading the offense. In any case, the absence will be notable.

Recruit rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.