BOSTON — In a commanding performance, Cooper Flagg recovered from a shaky start to score 28 points, guiding No. 3 Duke to an 88-63 victory against Boston College on Saturday night. This win marks the Blue Devils’ 12th consecutive triumph this season.

Tyrese Proctor also made significant contributions, adding 20 points to the team’s total. The spotlight, however, shone brightly on Flagg, who was competing in New England for the first time at the college level after his transition from Maine to Duke. The sold-out crowd consisted primarily of enthusiastic Duke supporters, eager to witness the rising star in action.

Chad Venning was a standout for Boston College, contributing 19 points as the Eagles fell to a record of 9-9 overall and 1-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Duke has proven to be a dominating force in this matchup, having claimed victory over Boston College in the last ten encounters, including a notable upset in December 2017.

Boston College showed early promise, leading for most of the first quarter and holding an 18-11 advantage midway through the opening period. However, Duke quickly retaliated, scoring 11 out of the next 13 points. The Eagles held their last lead at 24-22 before the Blue Devils surged ahead with an 11-3 run, with Flagg contributing nine of those points.

Duke’s performance in the ACC this season has been impressive, as they remain the only team from the conference currently ranked in the AP Top 25. This stands in stark contrast to last season, where four teams from the ACC found themselves in the final rankings.

Meanwhile, Boston College continues to struggle in conference play, suffering four consecutive losses since their win against Miami on New Year’s Day.

A pivotal moment occurred early in the game when Flagg and teammate Khaman Maluach made a key block under the Eagles’ basket. Flagg appeared to favor his ankle as he took some time to recover, but he seemed to regain his form when the play shifted back to Duke’s offense.

Statistically, Duke’s remarkable season includes its 14th victory by double digits, with 11 of those wins coming by margins of 20 points or more.

Looking ahead, Duke will face Wake Forest on Saturday, while Boston College will head to Virginia for their next game on Tuesday.