NEWARK, N.J. -- Duke's Cooper Flagg put on a skills clinic and overcame an onslaught from Arizona and Caleb Love, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks Thursday night in a 100-93 NCAA tournament victory that pulled the Blue Devils within one win of the Final Four.
Flagg, long over the ankle injury that sidelined him earlier this month, did enough to prevent Love, a thorn in Duke's side for five years, from ruining another Blue Devils season. Love finished with 35 points, one short of his career high, including a streak of 15 straight for his Wildcats (24-13) during a ferocious second-half run that cut a 19-point deficit to as little as five with 1:56 left.
But it's the top-seeded Blue Devils (34-3) moving to the Elite Eight for the second straight season. On Saturday comes a 1 vs. 2 showdown in the East Region, when coach Jon Scheyer's team faces Alabama, which set a March Madness record for 3-pointers in a 113-88 win over BYU earlier in the evening. A win would put Duke in the Final Four for the 18th time.
The last time Duke was in the Final Four was in 2022 when Love played for North Carolina and scored 28 points to bring an end to legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski's career. Arizona chipped away at its big deficit and got within five when Carter Bryant made a 3-pointer with 1:56 left. Flagg made three of four free throws -- and Duke made 9 of 10 -- to salt away the win down the stretch.
The fourth-seeded Wildcats sagged and hung on the 6-foot-9 freshman and made him work for everything. But he was just better than everyone on the court. It was a show that brought an end to Love's vibrant career -- one he wasn't willing to see end without a fight. He missed his first three shots but finished 11 for 21 and made five 3s to keep his team in it. He scored seven more than he did when he shut down Coach K's career.
In this one, Love got the most help from Jaden Bradley, who finished with 15 points. But the Wildcats couldn't do enough to conjure a repeat of 2011, the last time these programs met in the tournament and Arizona knocked out the top-seeded Blue Devils.
Flagg's performance was nothing short of spectacular. Averaging more than four assists per game, he showcased his skills as a facilitator, especially in the second half against Arizona. Shortly after the halftime break, with Duke already leading by nine points, Flagg attracted multiple Arizona defenders with a drive into the paint. Instead of going up for a shot, however, the freshman whipped a no-look pass to fifth-year senior Sion James, who knocked down an open 3-pointer, pushing the lead to double digits.
Flagg continued to shine, connecting with fellow freshman Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2-inch center from South Sudan, who has carved a larger role in the offense throughout the season as a lob threat. Flagg tossed an easy alley-oop up to the rim on a breakaway possession, making it an 11-point game in his team's favor again. The second lob was the real standout moment, as Flagg narrowly saved himself from stepping out of bounds before flicking the ball toward the glass.
With just 15 minutes to play, Flagg already had 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists, marking one of his best performances of the season.
The game was intense, with Duke holding onto a narrow 89-83 lead with three minutes left against Arizona. Love, notorious for his clutch performances, attempted a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game, but Maluach stretched out his entire frame to deflect the shot. Duke then evaded Arizona’s half-court press and passed the ball to Flagg, who was subsequently fouled by K.J. Lewis and sent to the line. Flagg nailed both free throws, scoring his 28th and 29th points of the game.
Flagg's overall performance was a masterclass in basketball, as he became the first Duke player to record 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists in an NCAA Tournament game. The Blue Devils exploded on offense in the second half, amassing a 70-51 lead before Love improbably swished a corner three despite Tyrese Proctor’s close contest, kickstarting Arizona’s comeback attempt.
Love made another 3-pointer in transition, followed by two consecutive layups to total 31 points with eight minutes left. Thanks to Love and Blue Devil turnovers, the Wildcats embarked on an 8-0 run, cutting Duke’s advantage to just 78-71. Foul trouble began to plague the Blue Devils in crunch time, with freshmen Patrick Ngongba II, Maluach, and Kon Knueppel each picking up four fouls before the six-minute mark of the second period.
After Flagg nailed a pair of free throws, Ngongba fouled out of the contest. Love then dunked the basketball in transition, bringing Duke's lead to just 86-79 with 4:45 remaining. Duke doubled their halftime lead after just two-and-a-half minutes in the second half, with Knueppel and Maluach connecting on an alley-oop for an and-one, and Flagg finding a wide-open Sion James for an easy corner three.
Carter Bryant responded with a triple, but Flagg assisted Maluach for two more alley-oops, sandwiched by a Knueppel close-range make, leading to a 62-47 lead. At the 13-minute mark, Flagg found Ngongba for an alley-oop, and Ngongba spun and converted a floater to make it a 19-point Duke lead. Remarkably, Duke did not miss a single shot through the opening six minutes of the second half.
As the clock wound down, the Blue Devils maintained their composure, securing a hard-fought victory. Next up on the Blue Devils’ quest for a sixth national title is an Elite Eight matchup with Alabama Saturday back in the Prudential Center.
