March Madness: Cooper Flagg shows no signs of rust in commanding return as Duke dominates Mount Saint Mary’s

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Duke forward Cooper Flagg (2) drives past Mount St. Mary’s guard Xavier Lipscomb (45) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

So far, so good in Duke’s quest for a sixth NCAA tournament title.

Cooper Flagg returned to the lineup Friday after missing two-plus games with a sprained ankle and looked no worse for wear as No. 1 seed Duke went on to a commanding 93-49 win over No. 16 seed Mount Saint Mary’s.

Flagg was his typically dominant self as Duke controlled the game from the tip. The Blue Devils secured an eight-point lead in the game’s opening minutes and quickly put to rest any notion that Mount Saint Mary’s would make it a competitive game.

Flagg got on the board with an and-1 layup and made free throw to extend Duke’s lead to 10-2 at the 18:22 mark of the first half, setting the tone for his performance and the game.

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Duke coach Jon Scheyer liked what he saw from his All-America forward early in the game.

“He’s looking great,” Scheyer told CBS during an early break in the action. “For me, it’s about the way he’s moving. You can tell he’s ready to go. I think more anxious than anything, but he’s been great for us.”

Flagg continued to thrive and finished the first half with nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two blocks. He appeared to be under no limitations while playing 13 minutes. He was aggressive around the basket, including on this baseline dunk on a pass from Patrick Ngongba.

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Flagg concurred with Scheyer’s assessment of his health at halftime as Duke went into the break with a 54-28 lead.

“It’s feeling great,” Flagg told CBS of his ankle. “I…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/article/march-madness-cooper-flagg-shows-no-signs-of-rust-in-commanding-return-as-duke-dominates-mount-saint-marys-210808310.html

Author : Jason Owens

Publish date : 2025-03-21 21:08:00

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