DURHAM, N.C. — Freshman standout Cooper Flagg delivered an impressive performance with 24 points and nine rebounds, leading No. 5 Duke to a decisive 68-47 victory over George Mason on Tuesday night.
Flagg, who is recognized as a preseason AP All-American, had a shooting night of 7 for 20 from the field but made significant contributions elsewhere, contributing four assists and achieving perfection from the free-throw line, hitting all eight attempts for the Blue Devils (9-2).
On the other hand, Jalen Haynes topped the scoring for the Patriots (7-4) with 18 points. However, he had minimal support, as only one of his teammates managed to score more than twice.
In terms of team performances, George Mason managed to capture five consecutive victories following a double-overtime loss to East Carolina on November 16. Nevertheless, the Patriots have struggled against current ACC teams, holding a record of 4-25.
Duke, returning to action after a week-long break for exams, continued their momentum stemming from a recent win against Incarnate Word.
A significant moment in the game occurred in the early stages of the second half when Duke unleashed a 9-0 run, extending their lead from 27-18. Flagg initiated the rally with two successful free throws and a jumper, added a score in the paint, and capped it off by assisting Tyrese Proctor for a three-pointer from the corner, establishing a comfortable 36-18 advantage with 16:40 remaining.
Although George Mason managed to narrow the gap to within a dozen points midway through the second half, they could not get any closer.
Statistically, this matchup was anticipated to be defense-focused, as George Mason ranked third in the nation for field-goal percentage defense at .354, while Duke stood fifth at .362. The first half was low-scoring, with both teams combining for just 15 successful shots out of 61 attempts (24.6%). However, Duke improved significantly after halftime, converting 12 of 23 shots (52.2%), while George Mason achieved only a modest 35% shooting rate (14 of 40) in the second half.
Looking ahead, George Mason is set to host Penn on Sunday, while Duke will embark on their second ACC road game against Georgia Tech on Saturday.