Duke basketball was in a battle with Arizona in the Sweet 16 of March Madness, but they were able to take care of business and get the win 100-93. Cooper Flagg was the star for Duke in this one, as he finished the game with 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three blocks.
After the game, Flagg spoke about the win and gave credit to an Arizona team that never stopped fighting.
“We knew coming into this it was going to be an absolute battle, they can just compete really, really hard,” Flagg said. “It's just about staying with strong faces and just doing what we do.”
30 points. 7 assists. 6 rebounds. 3 blocks.
Cooper Flagg spoke with @ALaForce after an awesome performance. pic.twitter.com/Nl6d4iBWs6
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 28, 2025
The Blue Devils led by nearly 20 points during one point in the second half, but the Wildcats continued to fight back and cut their deficit down by as much as seven points. Love tried to reel his team back into the game, as he finished with 35 points, shooting 11-for-21 from the field and 5-for-11 from three.
Duke never seemed worried about the comeback, and they were able to lock in during the final minutes of the game and make the right plays to win. Now, they'll be heading to the Elite Eight to take on their next opponent.
Duke basketball continues to run through March Madness
At the end of the first half, Duke was rolling, and so was Flagg. In the final moments of the half, Mason Gillis rebounded a missed shot by Love, and found Flagg for a pass and he hit a jumper right before the buzzer sounded.
“Just a huge rebound by him (Gillis) at the end of the half to close it out,” Flagg said. “He hit me on the run. I just went up and made a shot.”
Flagg stepped up to the plate when the team needed him the most, and he delivered. There's a reason why he's the No. 1 projected pick in the NBA Draft this year, and he put all of his skills on display for the world to see, whether it was scoring, getting his teammates an easy shot, or defending on the other side of the ball.
“He just did what he was supposed to do, and he'll move on and get ready for Alabama,” head coach Scheyer said via ESPN's Jeff Borzello. “I think that's the beauty of it with him. He doesn't get caught up in all that.
“What I've wanted from him is not to defer. I've just wanted him to fully be him, and I thought he was that. He was in his element tonight. He was him. He had just a great personality. He was loose, talking, competitive, the whole thing. So yeah, he impresses me all the time.”