The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Top-seeded Duke will have 6-foot-11 center Marques Bolden back for its NCAA Tournament opener against North Dakota State, but will be minus forward Jack White.

Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski said Bolden, who missed the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with a sprained ankle, has practiced and should be ready to go against 16th-seeded North Dakota State.

However, the coach said White hurt a hamstring in the ACC championship game and will not play against the Bison in the East Region game Friday night.

Krzyzewski said White could return should Duke advance into Sunday’s second-round game.

Bolden has started 21 games this season, averaging 19.5 minutes a contest. He’s averaged 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds.

White, a 6-7 junior, has averaged more than 21 minutes a game off the bench for the Blue Devils.

Elsewhere:

n A judge in Kentucky has dismissed a college basketball referee’s lawsuit against a radio network, saying the station’s criticism is protected by the First Amendment. Veteran official John Higgins sued Kentucky Sports Radio, host Matt Jones and editor Drew Franklin, saying their postgame criticism of his officiating in Kentucky’s 2017 NCAA Tournament loss to North Carolina resulted in harassment of him and his family. He said he received death threats by phone and that his roofing business was disrupted by false negative reviews online. U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood ruled Wednesday to dismiss the suit while noting the plaintiffs’ frustration “is understandable and their damages are real.”

n Pittsburgh and Duquesne are giving the annual “City Game” a year off. The programs announced Thursday the regular showdown between schools located just two miles apart will not happen next season, the first time since the 1960s they won’t play. The series, which began in 1932, will resume in the 2020-21 season. The Panthers pointed to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s decision to expand to 20 conference games next fall and a visit to an early season tournament in Florida as factors in the decision. Pitt leads the series with Duquesne 55-32 and has won 18 of the last 20 meetings.