With more than a dozen collegiate basketball games under his belt now, Duke freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] only seems to be getting better.
It’s a scary thought for the rest of the country considering that the 18-year-forward averaged 16.3 points per game before the holiday break, but he’s put forth his two most efficient performances of the season since New Year’s Eve. He followed up his 24-point outing against Virginia Tech with 24 more points against SMU on Saturday, only needing 26 shots between the two games as he finds easier paths to the basket with each passing week.
The Mustangs looked like a potential ACC challenger with 11 wins in their first 13 games under former USC Trojans coach Andy Enfield, but Flagg and his teammates made a statement about who truly runs the conference out in Texas. Here’s a recap of his performance in the Saturday victory.
Cooper Flagg points scored vs. SMU:
Flagg finished with 24 points against the Mustangs despite taking his last shot with more than 14 minutes left on the clock. He finished 7/12 from the floor, making him 61.5% over the past two games, and his 11 rebounds gave him his fifth double-double of the year.
Flagg also notched three assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Did Duke win?
Yes, the Blue Devils won 89-62 thanks to Flagg’s 15 first-half points and eight assists from veteran guard Sion James.
Cooper Flagg’s next game:
The Duke Blue Devils will return to the court on Tuesday with a home game against the Pittsburgh Panthers.