In Durham, North Carolina, Duke’s men’s basketball team, ranked number 2, delivered a dominant performance by defeating Florida State 100-65 in their recent matchup. Isaiah Evans led the scoring for Duke with an impressive 19 points, while the team managed to overcome a concerning moment involving their standout freshman, Cooper Flagg. Flagg experienced an injury scare after taking a forceful hit to the face during a foul, which led him to spend over 11 minutes off the court at the end of the first half for evaluations.
Upon returning for the second half, Flagg contributed significantly to Duke’s performance, scoring 12 out of his 16 points during this period. Consistent support came from Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, each adding 14 points, helping Duke advance their record to 26-3 overall and 17-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), thereby preserving their one-game advantage over Clemson in the league standings.
For Florida State, Jamir Watkins was the top scorer, securing 21 points, with teammate Jerry Deng adding another 12. The loss marks a troubling spell for the Seminoles, who have now suffered three consecutive defeats and four losses out of their last five games, bringing their record to 16-13 overall and 7-11 in the ACC.
The game took a severe turn when Flagg exited the court, but Duke’s strategic adjustments allowed them to build a commanding 47-30 lead by halftime. Despite this setback, the Blue Devils maintained their perfect home record this season, displaying exceptional resilience even with the absence of guard Tyrese Proctor, who was sidelined due to a knee injury from their last game against Miami.
A pivotal play came early in the second half when Flagg’s defensive efforts resulted in a block that transitioned into a fast break, culminating in Knueppel’s three-point play and a comprehensive Duke lead of 62-35.
An important statistic for Duke was their ability to convert ball movement into successful plays, recording 12 assists on their 16 first-half baskets while avoiding turnovers, even when fielding unconventional lineups.
Looking ahead, Duke is set to conclude their regular-season home games with a fixture against Wake Forest on Monday night. Meanwhile, Florida State will aim to bounce back as they prepare to face Virginia on Tuesday night.
