Flagg ratings ACC freshman-record 42 in Duke win
Jan 11, 2025, 02:49 PM ET DURHAM, N.C.– Cooper Flagg crossed the court to capture an early kickout feed and tore down a 3-pointer from the wing. Minutes later, he was alone in the left corner and confidently had a catch-and-score for another 3.
No hesitation.And no stopping until
the 18-year-old accomplished something that no freshman had actually ever performed in Atlantic Coast Conference history.The 6-foot-9 Flagg scored 42 indicate set
a conference freshman single-game scoring record Saturday, helping fourth-ranked Duke beat Notre Dame 86-78. It was an efficiency that put the preseason Associated Press All-American along with some prominent names in the history of the blue-blood program and its long time league home.”I was just out there playing,”Flagg stated as he sat at his locker later
surrounded by reporters.” When I’m in the game, I do not truly know what’s going on. I’m just playing secured.”Flagg had actually long been mentioned as a prospective No. 1 NBA draft choice before leaving his home state of Maine and heading to Durham. His every carry on the court had actually been dissected all season, from late-game turnovers in losses to No. 6 Kentucky and No. 11 Kansas to his strong play in a March-worthy match that handed No. 2 Auburn its only loss.Points Cooper Flagg, Duke 42 Sat.Olivier Hanlan, BC 41 2013 Harrison Barnes, UNC 40 2011 Tyler Hansbrough, UNC 40 2006 Josh Okogie, GT 38 2016 Avoid Wise, Clemson 38 1974 This week offered the best example
Ferry’s program-record 58 points at Miami in December 1988. Before Saturday, Flagg’s season high was 26 points.” He’s being himself,”colleague Sion James said.”And that’s the magic of Cooper Flagg, being himself. He’s not requiring anything. He’s simply being a player, taking the looks as they come. He saw something he liked, and 42 points later, here we are. “Flagg made 11 of 14 shots in about 36 minutes, consisting of 4 of 6 3-pointers to continue his current improved long-range touch.
He saw work as the primary ball handler and assaulted the paint, taking advantage of inequalities to draw 13 fouls and get to the line 17 times (he made 16, a Duke freshman record)while Notre Dame had just 16 efforts as a team.”It’s a big part of the game if you’re able to get in the paint and get fouled,”
Flagg said,” so I was kind of able to get that going early and was kind of able to live in the paint tonight.”Flagg likewise had 6 rebounds and seven helps, consisting of a high-low pass to 7-2 teammate Khaman Maluach for an alley-oop dunk on Duke’s opening belongings.”They’ve got the best mix of guys with him, “Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry stated.”If they had him and they didn’t have shooting or they had individuals that needed the ball and were ball-dominant, then it most likely would not work. However they’ve done an excellent job assessing and finding the best people to put around him, so it makes him a truly difficult match.”Editor’s Picks 1 Related Flagg called it among his more aggressive offending performances from the start, partly due to getting those early tidy want to find a quick circulation. As he pressed on, the fouls and contact kept coming– enough so that Duke coach Jon Scheyer had his own unusual eruption, this one of demonstrative fury.It came after Flagg was called for a first-half offending foul for pressing off on a drive versus Notre Dame’s Matt Allocco. As Allocco struck the floor, Scheyer almost ran from the sideline to the edge of the midcourt circle yelling” No other way!”and shouting that Allocco
had gotten Flagg before waving absolutely in disgust as associate head coach Chris Carrawell tried to assist him back to the bench.It marked just the 2nd technical foul of Scheyer’s three-year head coaching profession, though he was concentrated on making a larger point.”People are going to do things to try to make it easier to guard him,”Scheyer said of
Flagg.”And getting and holding is going to be something that exists. So it wasn’t just one play separated for me. It’s simply comprehending that he does get struck.”Once again … I have a ton of regard for those three officials, the officiating in our league. But I’m likewise going to advocate for our guys when I seem like something isn’t being called properly or respected.”By Saturday’s horn, Flagg had actually gone beyond the previous ACC freshman record of 41 points from Boston College’s Olivier Hanlan versus Georgia Tech in the 2013 ACC tournament. Only two other freshmen in league history, both from North Carolina, have actually reached the 40-point mark: Tyler Hansbrough( 40)in February 2006 and Harrison Barnes (40) in the 2011 ACC tournament.Flagg struck the 40-point mark on 2 free throws with 25.7 seconds left as Duke clung to an 80-76 lead after misusing most of an 18-point cushion.
He broke the ACC record with 2 more totally free tosses with 4.9 seconds left, after the”Cameron Crazies “had shouted his name as he walked to the line.So how does a teenage basketball prodigy commemorate history? His strategies didn’t sound almost so unforgettable
.” Probably just going to hang out with my colleagues, have a chill night, “Flagg said.”There’s a great deal of excellent basketball games on tonight.”