The Duke basketball program accomplished a truly impressive team performance on Saturday night. Duke crushed Illinois 110-67 at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Devils were heavy favorites heading into the game, but nobody expected such a huge blowout. Duke had such a dominating win thanks to a balanced offensive attack that included seven players, including superstar freshman Cooper Flagg.
Flagg spoke about what it meant to him to get such a big win at Madison Square Gardens.
“I thought it was an incredible atmosphere,” Flagg said, following Duke’s largest win at MSG. “Just loved the energy. Saw so much blue in the crowd.”
Flagg put up 16 points with seven rebounds and five assists in 23 minutes against Illinois.
Duke’s blowout win made college basketball history. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello explained how historic Duke’s impressive win over Illinois was on Saturday.
“Duke’s 43-point margin of victory is its largest neutral-site regular-season win since the program joined the ACC in 1953-54, per @ESPNStatsInfo. Also the largest vs. a Big Ten opponent since beating Michigan by 43 in 2000. Illinois’ 43-point loss is the worst in program history.”
Cooper Flagg encouraged to stay with Duke basketball program by Illinois coach Brad Underwood
Flagg received some rare praise from the opposing team’s head coach after the big win.
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said in an interview that he believes Flagg should stay in the NCAA instead of jumping right to the NBA.
“I hope he stays in school,” Underwood said after his Fighting Illini got crushed by the Blue Devils. “I mean, if I’m the NCAA or the ACC, I’m figuring out an NIL deal to keep that dude in school, because he’s everything that’s right about our game,”
It is rare to hear comments like this from opposing coaches, whose lives would become easier if Flagg advanced to the NBA.
“Somebody threw out some story about it. I hope he stays. Man, he’d be great. He could probably make more here than he could in the NBA. He’s also got really good people around him, and that helps,” Underwood concluded.
Regardless of which choice he makes, the future is bright for Cooper Flagg.
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