DALLAS – The Duke Blue Devils strengthened their position as one of the top teams in college basketball with a commanding 89-62 victory over the SMU Mustangs on Saturday at the Moody Coliseum. The Blue Devils, ranked fourth nationally, played the game without their head coach Jon Scheyer, who was unable to travel due to illness.
Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg stole the spotlight, leading his team with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Flagg’s performance included shooting 7 of 12 from the field and making two 3-point attempts, alongside being perfect from the free-throw line with eight successful attempts. Flagg’s impressive stats also featured three assists, two blocks, and one steal, marking his fifth double-double of the season.
Duke’s victory extends their winning streak to eight games, improving their overall record to 12-2 and 4-0 within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Blue Devils came prepared to face the Mustangs, who were riding their own seven-game winning streak and entered the game as the leading high-scoring team in the ACC, averaging over 87 points per game.
While Duke was without their head coach, associate coach Chris Carrawell took charge, making adjustments as needed during the game. Despite the absence of Scheyer, the Blue Devils showed quick responses every time the Mustangs attempted to mount a comeback.
Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel also made significant contributions, contributing 14 points each. The trio of Flagg, Proctor, and Knueppel made the game difficult for SMU, who found it challenging to match Duke’s scoring efficiency. They combined to shoot impressively, including making 11 shots beyond the arc.
SMU's best effort came from Boopie Miller, who led the Mustangs (11-3, 2-1) with 21 points. Despite their reliance on Miller, SMU struggled offensively, finishing the game with only 34% shooting (23 of 67). They also faced issues at the charity stripe, missing 14 free throws, which proved detrimental as they fell behind early.
The game didn’t start favorably for SMU, as they quickly found themselves trailing 15-5 following Duke's strong opening play. Despite managing to narrow the deficit at times, they never regained the lead after opening with an early three-pointer from Taylor Cross.
Key moments for Duke included Flagg’s rapid scoring burst early in the second half, where he pumped in nine points within three minutes, part of a 13-3 run for the Blue Devils. At one point, Duke led by as many as 20 points, demonstrating their dominant edge throughout the contest.
Observing the defensive strategies employed by Duke, it became evident they were prepared to contain SMU's offensive threats effectively. The Blue Devils’ defense, rated as the best in the ACC, constrained the Mustangs, limiting their proficiency inside and outside the three-point arc. SMU managed to shoot only 23% from three-point range.
Another noteworthy performance was delivered by Sion James, whose ability to distribute the ball created significant scoring opportunities for the Blue Devils. He ended the game with eight assists, effectively facilitating Duke’s fluid offense.
The Mustangs' 42-24 deficit in points scored within the paint highlighted their struggles against Duke's physicality and height advantage. Duke not only dominated the inside game but also effectively executed their three-point shooting, making 11 shots from beyond the arc compared to SMU's meager five attempts.
Looking forward, Duke gears up to play against Pittsburgh at home on Tuesday evening, aiming to continue their winning streak. This outing at SMU marked their first trip to Texas since losing to N.C. State during their Elite Eight run at the Dallas Mavericks' arena.
Meanwhile, SMU will look to regroup as they travel to face North Carolina. This loss interrupts their previous momentum and presents challenges for head coach Andy Enfield and his squad as they return to conference competition.
Duke's successful execution of their game plan against SMU emphasizes their potential as serious contenders this season, especially as they continue to build steam en route to the postseason.