Freshman sensation Cooper Flagg delivered a record-breaking performance to lead No. 4 Duke to an 86-78 victory over Notre Dame on Saturday, keeping the Blue Devils undefeated in ACC play.
The 6-foot-9 preseason Associated Press All-American put on a show, scoring an Atlantic Coast Conference freshman record of 42 points. Flagg was unstoppable, shooting an incredible 11-of-14 from the field, 4-of-6 from three-point range, and 16-of-17 from the free-throw line. Alongside his scoring, Flagg contributed seven assists and six rebounds in an all-around dominant display that wore down the Fighting Irish defense.
Khaman Maluach provided crucial support for Duke (14-2, 6-0 ACC), adding a season-high 19 points and serving as a dominant presence in the paint.
Notre Dame (7-9, 1-4 ACC) fought hard, with Markus Burton leading the charge by scoring 23 points. The Fighting Irish stayed in contention thanks to their hot three-point shooting, knocking down 14-of-23 shots from beyond the arc and making things tense for Duke in the final moments.
Takeaways
Notre Dame’s Resilience
The Fighting Irish found themselves in an early 14-0 deficit and trailed by as much as 18 points in the second half. However, their three-point accuracy kept them in the game, cutting the lead to just four points late.
Duke’s Dominance in the ACC
The Blue Devils continued their impressive run through the ACC schedule, shooting 51.6% from the field. While most of their conference wins have been blowouts—four by 20 or more points—Notre Dame proved a tougher challenge. The Fighting Irish became only the fourth team to shoot better than 40% against Duke this season, hitting 48.2% of their attempts.
Key Moments
Notre Dame managed to shrink Duke’s lead to 80-76 with less than a minute to go, thanks to a late drive by Burton. But Flagg responded in clutch fashion, calmly sinking two free throws to give Duke breathing room. On the next possession, Burton missed a layup, and Maluach sealed the win by knocking down two free throws with 15.8 seconds left, restoring a two-possession lead.
Key Stats
Flagg’s Shooting Surge
Cooper Flagg has been red-hot from beyond the arc recently. Over his last six games, the freshman has made 12-of-22 three-pointers, a sharp improvement from his 8-of-36 performance in his first 10 college games.
What’s Next
Notre Dame will return home to host Boston College on Monday, looking to bounce back from this narrow defeat. Meanwhile, Duke will close out a three-game homestand on Tuesday when the Blue Devils take on Miami, aiming to extend their 11-game win streak and maintain their dominant ACC record.
Duke’s victory was another step forward for a team that continues to grow in confidence and skill as the season progresses. With Flagg at the helm and Maluach making significant strides, the Blue Devils are shaping up as a team capable of competing for the ultimate prize in March.
