TUCSON, Ariz. – Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg got his first taste of a true college road atmosphere on Friday night, playing in front of a raucous announced crowd of 14,634 at Arizona’s McKale Center.
For a few early moments, he looked a little nervous. It was fleeting.
Flagg scored 16 points in the second half, finishing with a game-high 24 as No. 12 Duke pulled away for a 69-55 win over No. 17 Arizona. The preseason All-American shot 10 of 22 from the field, grabbed six rebounds and had three assists, two blocks and a steal.
“In the first half, I was a little soft on my finishes,” Flagg said. “It was a high-level college basketball game, really physical. They’re a physical team. But I found my footing and started playing off two feet a little better.”
Flagg — the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit who wowed NBA stars in a workout against the U.S. Olympic Team this summer — is no stranger to high expectations. The 6-foot-9 forward has been very good in his first five career games, averaging 17.8 points.
But a hostile crowd of this magnitude was something different. It’ll be the first of many.
“The environment tonight — to get tested this early in the season on the road — I find incredible value in it and I think our guys would say the same thing after tonight,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said.
Flagg got better as the game progressed and quieted the McKale Center with a one-handed jam in traffic to give the Blue Devils a 46-33 lead with 12:31 left. It was the beginning of an offensive onslaught that included 10 points over about six minutes.
Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel also had good moments late in the game, hitting two crucial 3-pointers. Knueppel finished with 13.
But it’s Flagg that attracts most of the eyeballs — from fans and opposing players. So far, he’s proven worthy.
“He’s tall and athletic and can finish over a lot of bodies,” Arizona’s KJ Lewis said. “I don’t know. He’s just super athletic. We did a good job containing him in the first half, but then we went away from the game plan, didn’t communicate and he found openings.”
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