By ADAM ZAGORIA
In a game that featured Khaman Maluach losing his lunch on the court and Kon Knueppel utilizing a quirky, heady play to keep his teammate inbounds, Cooper Flagg once again dominated in the second half as No. 2 Duke won its 14th straight game.
The 6-foot-9 Flagg, the presumed No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, went for 28 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists as Duke overcome a 4-point halftime deficit to prevail, 74-64, over NC State at Cameron Indoor Stadium. He scored 23 of the 28 in the second half. In his last two games, Flagg has scored 38 combined points in the second half after 14 combined in the first half.
Earlier Monday, Flagg was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the 8th time this season.
Knueppel went for 19 and 6 rebounds while pulling off a play rarely, if ever, seen on the hardwood. With Duke (18-2, 10-0 ACC) leading 65-62 and teammate Tyrese Proctor balancing on one leg while trying to corral a loose ball and stay in bounds, Knueppel grabbed Proctor’s other leg to hold him up and keep him inbounds.
“There are high-basketball IQ plays, and then there ‘s next level,” Cory Alexander said on air. “That was next level by Kon Knueppel.”
Never seen this before in a hoops game as Duke’s Kon Knueppel pulls Tyrese Proctor’s leg to keep him in bounds pic.twitter.com/wbg6VJcdv2
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) January 28, 2025
Also in the second half, Maluach, Duke’s 7-2 freshman big man, lost his lunch on the court and managers and staff had to break out a number of towels to clean it up.
VOMIT WARNING: Khaman Maluach loses his lunch in the clutch. Hope the big guy is okay! pic.twitter.com/na117o0PN2
— Dray Mottishaw (@draymottishaw) January 28, 2025
Sion James also went for 13 in the win.
Duke hasn’t lost since Nov. 26 and their two losses to Kentucky and Kansas were by a combined eight points — and came before Flagg turned into a monster and the favorite for National Player of the Year.
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