Defense does it again: 3 takeaways from Duke's 76-47 romp over Pittsburgh

Steve Wiseman, The News & Observer on Jan 7, 2025

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DURHAM, N.C. — Foul trouble slowed Duke’s Cooper Flagg in the first half against Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

Turns out, that was the only way the Panthers could contain the superstar freshman.

Flagg scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half, including a pair of highlight-reel dunks that propelled the No. 4 Blue Devils to a 76-47 ACC basketball win at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke (13-2, 5-0 ACC) continued to run roughshod over other ACC contenders, handing Pitt (12-3, 3-1 ACC) it’s first league loss in lopsided fashion. The performance came three days after the Blue Devils routed SMU (11-3, 2-1 ACC), 89-62, in Dallas.

Kon Knueppel added 17 points for Duke as all starters scored in double figures. Tyrese Proctor scored 13 points and Khaman Maluach added 11, while Sion James scored 10 points.

Pitt shot a season-worst 31% as high-scoring guards Ishmael Leggett and Jaland Lowe struggled. Averaging 17 points each, Lowe scored eight points while Leggett finished with four while the duo combined to shoot 5 of 27 from the field.

The Blue Devils, who ended the game on a 18-0 run, shot 50%. It’s the fourth consecutive game Duke has hit 50% or better.

Here are three takeaways from Duke’s win:

Flagg activated

Flagg meandered through the game’s first half, only playing 13 minutes due to picking up his second foul fewer than eight minutes into the game. He was called for his third foul with 17:43 to play in the game, but Duke coach Jon Scheyer left him in.

The coach’s patience proved prescient when Flagg unleashed highlight dunks for Duke’s next two baskets, revving the Cameron Crazies to a fever pitch.

The first sequence came immediately after Flagg committed his third foul. Pitt attempted an entry pass to Cameron Corhen, but Flagg eased around him to poke the ball away for a steal with 17:37 left.

Then it was showtime.

Flagg dribbled the length of the court, leaping from the second hash mark on the free throw line, cocking the ball behind his head and throwing a thunderous dunk down on Pitt 7-footer Guillermo Diaz Graham’s head. Flagg even drew a foul and added a free throw.

Diaz Graham was the victim again with 16:47 to play when Flagg’s crossover dribble allowed him to zoom past Diaz Graham for a two-handed dunk that put Duke up 42-28.

For all the hype Flagg carried with him to Duke, as much as any freshman to enter the program since Zion Williamson in 2018-19, those two above-the-rim plays marked the first time Flagg mimicked the former Blue Devils all-American in that manner.

Where good offense comes to die

Pitt entered the night averaging 84.1 points per game, having shot 50% or better in each of its past four games. The Panthers had only failed to shoot 40% or better in one game this season. Pitt’s offensive efficiency, scoring 119.5 points per 100 possessions, was No. 17 nationally.

As has been the case often this season, that production level diminished when a team faced Duke.

The Panthers hit only 8 of 26 first-half shots (30.8%) to fall behind 34-24 at intermission and Duke maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game.

Knueppel continues onslaught

After suffering through what he called the worst shooting slump of his life in early December, Knueppel found his range just before Christmas and has continued to shoot and score.

Tuesday night marked the second consecutive game he’s hit four 3-pointers for the Blue Devils. After hitting just 4 of 18 3-pointers over a four-game stretch that started with Duke’s win over Auburn on Dec. 4, Knueppel has hit 13 of 30 over his past four games. That includes going 8 of 15 over the last two games.