Cooper Flagg missed the final 11:27 of the first half in No. 2 Duke’s 100-65 win over Florida State on Saturday after taking a pair of blows to the face. But the freshman phenom returned in the second half and finished with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting to avoid losing any ground in the national player of the year race.
Flagg also finished with six rebounds and four assists as the Blue Devils (26-3, 17-1 ACC) drew one step closer to the ACC title and a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The second time Flagg got hit, it appeared he’d injured his eye. He left the floor and disappeared into the bowels of Cameron Indoor Stadium with members of the training staff.
His departure made for a frightening moment for the Blue Devils, who are already dealing with the absence of Tyrese Proctor. The junior guard remained out Saturday due to a bone bruise at a time when starting forward Maliq Brown is also out with a shoulder injury. A serious injury to Flagg would be catastrophic to Duke under any circumstances but particularly so given the team’s current injury report.
But the likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft put any fears to rest by scoring 12 points in the second half while adding a pair of steals and a block.
You gotta see this
Instances of Flagg turning a big defensive play into an impressive transition finish have been commonplace this season. But they’re still a sight to behold, and his crafty split of the double-team here was particularly spectacular.
Key stat
20: Flagg played a season-low 20 minutes. First, he missed the final 11:27 of the first half after going to the locker room following a couple of shots to the face. Then, he played just 12 minutes in the second half as the Blue Devils cruised to an easy victory.
Giving out a grade
After a slow day for Auburn star Johni Broome, the door was open for Flagg to make a statement in the national player of the year race. He…
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