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Fox Sports
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Duke's Cooper Flagg makes lasting memory in NBA showcase at Madison Square Garden
NEW YORK — The moment so many of these fans came to see — the ones proudly wearing blue and white, anyway — unfolded barely a minute into the second half of an already lopsided affair. A turnover by Illinois point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, the highly talented B-side of Saturday's primetime showcase, gave way to Duke star Cooper Flagg loping across midcourt with nary a body between him and the hoop. Flagg gathered the ball in his mitt-sized right hand and then vaulted into the air for a vicious slam that set Madison Square Garden ablaze, extending the Blue Devils' lead to 19 before scores of spectators had even returned from their halftime concession runs. That bucket, which Flagg bolstered with another soaring, two-handed jam moments later, followed by a muscled layup through contact that gave him the chance to flex both biceps in front of Duke's thickest section of supporters, was exactly what everyone around the program envisioned when this game was announced six months ago: the most hyped high school prospect in years making a lasting memory in The World's Most Famous Arena, dunking his way through a record-breaking season as he leads an ultra-talented blue blood toward what could be the program's first national championship since 2015 — all while cementing his case as the presumptive No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. What was billed by both coaches as a matchup befitting an NCAA Tournament game quickly devolved into a one-sided hiding that revealed significant talent discrepancies between the two teams, with Flagg and his blue-chip-laden supporting cast rolling to a 110-67 victory that was hardly competitive beyond the opening few minutes. Flagg, who finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists, was one of seven players to reach double-figure scoring in the Blue Devils' fourth consecutive blowout win, conference affiliation be damned. It was Duke's 20th victory in the last 21 games and a glaring, nationally televised reminder that Flagg is far from the only elite prospect on head coach Jon Scheyer's incredibly deep roster, which might be undervalued at No. 3 in the country and 24-3 overall. "Whew, yeah," Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said to begin his postgame news conference. "Duke's good." The veracity of that statement, which seemed clear from the moment Scheyer inked the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, including several high-profile transfers, was part of the impetus for why this event happened at all. The game itself, dubbed the "SentinelOne Classic," was a relatively late addition to this year's college basketball calendar, with the formal announcement coming on Aug. 14, 2024, after the Blue Devils had sought a willing dance partner for an increasingly rare, late-February, non-conference matchup between high-level programs. By that point — a little less than three months before the regular season began and near the conclusion of college basketball's summer workouts — both coaches were keenly aware of the NBA-caliber talent that graced their respective rosters, including a half-dozen potential first-round picks next summer alone. For Scheyer, that meant a chance to showcase the nation's No. 1 overall recruit in Flagg, a native of Newport, Maine, which is roughly seven hours from New York City, and the incredible collection of talent around him. In addition to Flagg, who will almost certainly be the first player selected in this year's draft, the Blue Devils also boast two more likely lottery picks in freshmen Kon Knueppel (15 points, four rebounds) and Khaman Maluach (13 points, seven rebounds), not to mention a pair of likely second-round picks in Tulane transfer Sion James (11 points, six assists) and junior Tyrese Proctor (12 points, four assists). There's a strong chance Duke will produce three top-10 picks in the same draft for the first time since 2019 — when Zion Williamson went No. 1 overall, R.J. Barrett went No. 3 overall and Cam Reddish went No. 10 overall — and just the second time in program history. For Underwood, who told reporters earlier this week that he'd like to play one non-conference game per season at Madison Square Garden, scheduling this game against this team meant creating an incredible stage for Jakucionis, the true freshman from Lithuania by way of FC Barcelona in Spain. Scouts and NBA executives had been familiar with Jakucionis for several years, both as a member of Barcelona's second team — though he did make some cameos with the club's top squad — and as a leading figure for the Lithuanian youth national teams. He averaged 13 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in the FIBA U18 European Championship in 2023 and then was named to the all-tournament team for the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in spring 2024 when he exploded for 17.9 points, 9 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals. Now, during his first season in this country, Jakucionis has already set the Illinois freshman record with 10 games of 20-plus points and will join Flagg in the lottery later this year, perhaps creeping into the top five selections. His Illinois teammate, freshman forward Will Riley, is also viewed as a possible first-round pick. "When you're talking about a big-time, nationally televised game in Madison Square Garden," an NBA executive told FOX Sports earlier in the week, "you always want to see how they compete in just the same way when it becomes do-or-die in conference tournaments or the NCAA Tournament. Let's say one of them has a poor game. You don't want to over-emphasize that, but it does go into the discussion. Players get reputations as being able to step onto the big stage and play well or not. Will one of them be overly helped or overly hurt? Probably not. But it does help you, you know, in terms of trying to figure out their mentality, where they are in terms of what platform they're ready to play on, and all that stuff." The stage was as decorated as it gets in college basketball before a sold-out crowd of 19,812 stuffing Madison Square Garden to the ceiling. Fans of both programs flooded into Manhattan for an evening on the sport's biggest stage, the first of two high-profile showdowns this venue will host in roughly 16 hours, with No. 10 St. John's hosting UConn on Sunday afternoon (Noon ET, FOX). Their orange and blue regalia matched the lighting on the exterior of this famous building, easily borrowed and repurposed from the New York Knicks for the Illini and Blue Devils, respectively. Many in the sold-out crowd were still buzzing about catching matinées on Broadway before filing into the arena long before tipoff on Saturday, injecting the pregame atmosphere with a March Madness feel. Duke's fans have long referred to The Garden as "Cameron North" in reference to Cameron Indoor Stadium, their on-campus arena in Durham, North Carolina, and chants of "Cooooooooooooooop" reverberated when Flagg was introduced with the starting lineup. The Blue Devils' mascot sported a piece of tape across its forehead with the letters ILL-ANNOYING scrawled in marker, eager for the game to begin. Duke came out firing from 3-point territory and quickly sunk the Illini on a night when Underwood's team missed its first 16 attempts from beyond the arc and 24 of 26 by game's end. Not even the early foul trouble for Flagg, who sat for lengthy portions of the first half, would prevent the Blue Devils from scoring 54 points in the opening stanza and leaving their opponent for dead. Jakucionis didn't attempt a field goal in the opening 10 minutes, ceding opportunities to a group of running mates far less talented than the players surrounding Flagg, and was responsible for three of the misfires from long range. He finished with 14 points on 4-for-10 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out six assists. But with the second half came a flurry of eye-popping moments from Flagg, whose preternatural skills for a player his size — listed at 6-foot 9 and 205 pounds — were readily apparent on both ends of the floor. He appeared as comfortable leading the Blue Devils in transition, where they held a 12-2 edge in fast-break points, as he was bullying through contact for layups or fouls drawn around the rim. He held three fingers in the air after burying an open triple from the right wing early in the second half and later flipped an easy lob to Maluach for an alley-oop when the Illinois defense collapsed too much attention on the game's biggest star. "I just think that the physicality and the way he's playing against guys that have been in college — they can be six years older than him, some of these guys he's playing against — it doesn't even faze him," the NBA executive said. "I think from that standpoint, his mentality, his physicality, that kind of stuff, is what has been as impressive as anything." The final ovation for Flagg and his NBA-bound friends came with 6:35 remaining, by which point Duke's lead had stretched to 37 and Scheyer could remove his starters for good, saving their legs for a date with Miami in three days' time. It's one of only four games remaining before the Blue Devils embark on the postseason, none of them against ranked opponents. And with as well as Scheyer's team is playing right now — four wins by an average of 29.5 points per game since the surprise loss at Clemson on Feb. 8 — it might be a while before his group is truly tested down the stretch, if anyone can test this team at all. On the biggest stage and beneath the brightest lights, everything went according to plan. "Just a good, old-fashioned butt kicking," Underwood said. "Give them all the credit." Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13 . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Cooper Flagg and Duke cruise to win, hand Illinois largest defeat in program history
Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden in front of 19,812 and a couple million people on network TV, the Duke Blue Devils showed the country why they have the pieces to cut down the nets for the first time since 2015 this April in San Antonio. The Blue Devils didn't just beat Illinois Saturday night in the SentinelOne Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Devils dominated from start to finish, rolling to a 110-67 blowout win over the Illini, marking the largest margin of defeat for Illinois in program history. While Cooper Flagg – the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft – took the headlines heading into the night, the Blue Devils showed just how well-rounded they are, shooting 16-of-27 from the floor in the first half and getting contributions across the roster. Yes, Flagg ended up with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists while dazzling the crowd with a couple of nasty dunks, but this Duke team is more than just a couple of future pros. In his third year at the helm, Jon Scheyer is showing why he was a seamless fit when taking over for Mike Krzyzewski. We saw it when Sion James – who had only hit multiple 3s in a game three times this season – drilled two treys in the opening three minutes. We saw it with Tyrese Proctor and Isaiah Evans combining for 20 points and driving right through the Illinois defense. We saw it from Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, who will hear their names called early on draft night as well this June. And on the other end of the floor, the Blue Devils swarmed the Illini defensively, holding them to 2-for-26 from 3-point range. Brad Underwood's team entered the evening averaging 9.4 triples per game. Yes, the Illini missed some open looks along the way, but for Duke to dominate a Big Ten team physically in the fashion they did on Saturday night made for a resounding statement that should put the rest of college basketball on notice. The Blue Devils have an answer to every single question, including whether a weak ACC has been propping them up after some early defeats to Kentucky and Kansas. The answer is that Scheyer's team has evolved since November and has the goods to win a national championship. John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
22-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What is Duke's record at Madison Square Garden? Blue Devils' history, appearances, wins
What is Duke's record at Madison Square Garden? Blue Devils' history, appearances, wins Show Caption Hide Caption Duke legend Carlos Boozer compares Cooper Flagg to Andrei Kirilenko Carlos Boozer says Cooper Flagg reminds him of his former teammate, Andrei Kirilenko. Sports Seriously Duke basketball is heading back to Madison Square Garden in New York. The third-ranked Blue Devils (23-3 overall, 15-1 in ACC play) renew their rich history with "The World's Most Famous Arena" on Saturday when they tip off against Illinois (17-10, 9-8 in Big Ten play) at 8 p.m. ET Saturday in the SentinelOne Classic. Saturday's contest is not only Cooper Flagg's debut at The Garden, but also is Duke's 60th game all-time at the current Madison Square Garden – which opened in 1968 – making it the most-played NBA arena for the Blue Devils in program history. So how have the Blue Devils performed inside MSG over the years? Here's what you need to know about Duke's record at The Garden ahead of Saturday's game against Illinois: BRACKETOLOGY: Race for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament projected field heats up Duke basketball record at Madison Square Garden Entering Saturday's game against Illinois, Duke holds a 41-18 all-time record at Madison Square Garden. Head coach Jon Scheyer holds a combined 21-5 record at The Garden as a Duke player, assistant coach and head coach. He is 2-0 in two trips to The Garden as a head coach, making appearances in the Jimmy V Classic during the 2022-23 season vs. Iowa and last year in the SentinelOne Classic vs. No. 10 Baylor. 'Any chance to get back to Madison Square Garden, for us, we try to do that once a year if we can. There were conflicts, and it was difficult to go there in December this year with our schedule and their schedule," Scheyer said earlier this week on why the Blue Devils are playing at The Garden in February. "The idea came up of doing it in February. The more I talked about it, the more I liked the concept of getting a neutral game late in the year against a different opponent to get outside of the bubble that we're in in ACC play." Here's a look at how the Blue Devils have fared in their last five games at The Garden: Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019: Duke 87, California 52 (2K Empire Classic) Duke 87, California 52 (2K Empire Classic) Friday, Nov. 22, 2019: Duke 81, Georgetown 72 (2K Empire Classic) Duke 81, Georgetown 72 (2K Empire Classic) Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021: Duke 79, No. 10 Kentucky 71 (Champions Classic) Duke 79, No. 10 Kentucky 71 (Champions Classic) Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022: Duke 74, Iowa 62 (Jimmy V Classic) Duke 74, Iowa 62 (Jimmy V Classic) Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023: Duke 78, No. 10 Baylor 70 (SentinelOne Classic) How many games has Duke basketball played at Madison Square Garden? Duke's game on Saturday against Illinois will be the Blue Devils' 60th appearance at Madison Square Garden since it opened in 1968. As noted in Duke's news release to announce the game vs. Illinois, the Blue Devils have played at least once at Madison Square Garden in 11 of the last 12 seasons; in 21 of the last 23 seasons; and 24 of the last 27. The Blue Devils competed in either a multi-team event or showcase game in 32 of those appearances — which comes to no surprise, given the Blue Devils are one of college basketball's bluest "blue bloods." How many wins does Duke basketball have at Madison Square Garden? The Blue Devils have won 41 of 59 games at Madison Square Garden, their sixth-most wins at any venue in the country in program history. Duke's first win at The Garden came back on Sunday, Jan. 24, 1999 in a non-conference matchup against St. John's. The Blue Devils would then drop their next two games at The Garden before their next win, which came in the 2000 TiVo Preseason NIT Classic against Texas. The win over Texas started a five-game winning streak at MSG for Duke. Last year's win over No. 10 Baylor in the SentinelOne Classic marked their seventh straight win at The Garden for the Blue Devils, and their eighth win in their last nine games at The Mecca. Duke basketball history at Madison Square Garden Here's a look at all of Duke's past games at Madison Square Garden since 1999, per the Blue Devils' media guide:
Fox Sports
22-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Elite, fearless, generational: Cooper Flagg ready to shine at Madison Square Garden
When you walk through the hallways of Madison Square Garden, there are pictures of Muhammad Ali, Patrick Ewing, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and countless other icons in sports and entertainment. On Saturday night, Cooper Flagg will step into the aura of MSG and get the opportunity to make his mark. The future first overall pick in this June's NBA Draft leads his No. 3-ranked Duke Blue Devils into the SentinelOne Classic against Illinois at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. The Blue Devils, who are 23-3 on the year and have lost just once since Nov. 26, 2024, were guided by Flagg's 17 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals earlier this week in an 80-62 win at Virginia. That's par for the course for the 6-foot-9 Flagg, who's now averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. No freshman in college basketball history has led his team in every major statistical category and played in the NCAA Tournament. Flagg is tracking to do exactly that and could end up doing much more than just appearing on the Big Dance floor. To stuff the stat sheet like that while shooting 49% from the floor and 37% from downtown means that whichever team possesses the No. 1 pick in this year's draft is getting a player who is the total package. The fact that Flagg is only 18 years old and was supposed to be a member of next year's freshman class makes what he's doing that much more eye-popping. "I just think he's a lock to be an elite No. 2 option in the NBA with upside for him to be a No. 1," one NBA scout told FOX Sports. "With Cooper, it feels like a guarantee that he will contribute to a winning team in the NBA." What makes Flagg outstanding is his feel and instincts for the game, along with his ability to make so many winning plays on both ends of the floor. He makes the extraordinary look much more ordinary than it should. With a wingspan of over 7 feet, he has the ability to explode to the basket on the offensive end and alter shots on the defensive end. He's the most gifted defensive prospect we've seen at the top of the draft in several years and should join Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson as the only freshmen to win National Player of the Year honors. [Read more: What are the 10 best men's college basketball seasons by a freshman?] The growth of Flagg's game as a scorer and playmaker has been special to watch, but equally important is his maturity and unselfishness. After playing with USA Basketball in training camp as a member of the Select Team ahead of the Paris Olympics this past summer, the spotlight was never brighter on Flagg. He handled it with ease, and the pros noticed. "To be able to do what he did, not even playing a college game, let alone an NBA game, there's no fear," Select Team forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat said. "It's relentless, and the thing that you can tell about him is that he just has a knack and the will to win. He doesn't need the ball. He just finds a way to it. And the ball finds its way to him. That's something that you can't teach. He's just got a great feel for the game." Duke head coach Jon Scheyer doubled down on Jaquez's comments, emphasizing Flagg's ability to lead and always pick his teammates up. "The most impressive thing to me is the fact that he's the same way every day," Scheyer told The Field of 68 earlier this week. "His approach. He's competitive. He has energy. He's as loud as anybody in the gym. It just picks everything up. "Lots of times as a coach, you're talking about the energy of a practice or [saying], 'We need to pick it up.' That hasn't happened this year. Cooper's not the only reason, but being the best player, he's a huge reason why that's the case. He just has a unique feel for how to pick others up and rise to the occasion. He's done an incredible job doing both of those things." It will be fascinating to see Flagg under the bright lights on Saturday against an Illinois team that has hit a roadblock in its season, dropping back-to-back games and now sitting at 9-8 in the Big Ten. As much as this game looks like tough timing for the Fighting Illini, perhaps it's the type of stage that Brad Underwood's team needs to get out of their funk. What makes this matchup so intriguing is that there's another top-five draft prospect playing in Kasparas Jakucionis, the 6-foot-6 guard from Lithuania who's averaging 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. His creativity and length as a versatile guard has made him a riser in this draft class. The Garden will see a season-high number of scouts on Saturday. [Read more: 2025 NBA Draft No. 1 pick odds: Dyland Harper gaining ground on Cooper Flagg] Beyond basketball, Flagg's story is something that goes beyond the norm for a top prospect. It's well-documented, but I don't think the fact that he's from Newport, Maine can be overstated. The small-town story and humble beginnings of the son of a Maine great, his mom Kelly, along with his father Ralph, who played at Eastern Maine Community College, give him this added dimension of being relatable. His twin brother Ace is off to Maine. The reason why there was a Maine United team at the 2023 Peach Jam — a legendary Nike EYBL tournament held in Georgia — and the only reason why there ever will be is Flagg, who set the gym in Atlanta on fire with his play. With a shoe deal with New Balance, an underdog brand in the normally Nike-driven world of basketball sneakers, Flagg showed the world that he was carving his own path. Alongside Tyrese Proctor and fellow freshman Kon Knueppel, Flagg and the Blue Devils have a real chance to show the world this April in San Antonio that Duke is back on top and that 37-year-old Jon Scheyer was in fact the perfect fit to take over for Mike Krzyzewski. [Read more: Duke's new king: Jon Scheyer's journey to one of basketball's biggest jobs] For now, it's the bright lights of MSG on Saturday night. "He's generational," Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes said earlier this year when describing Flagg. "I've coached against some great players in my career. He'd be one of them. I've got a list of Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose or Kawhi Leonard. Flagg is on that level." One NBA scout said it best when I asked what we should expect on Saturday: "Cooper Flagg lives for the moment. Have your popcorn ready." John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily . FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Basketball Duke Blue Devils National Basketball Association recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
