The Duke basketball program confronted one among its most difficult matchups of the 2024 season in opposition to the No. 1-ranked Kansas Jayhawks simply earlier than Thanksgiving. The competition didn’t disappoint. Duke battled again from an early deficit and practically stole the victory, however Kansas put the Blue Devils away 75-72. The loss didn’t cease followers from buzzing over star freshman ahead Cooper Flagg‘s poster dunk from earlier within the second half.
Duke trailed Kansas 61-59 with roughly 9 minutes left within the sport when Flagg set a decide for fellow freshman Kon Knueppel. Flagg rolled to the basket and obtained a cross from Knueppel, and after taking a few steps ahead, the freshman ahead rose and flushed a dunk over Kansas heart Flory Bidunga, as seen on the Duke males’s basketball X (previously Twitter) web page:
Cooper Flagg’s emphatic jam drew a wide range of reactions from followers on social media, beginning with one X person’s plea for Duke to contain Flagg extra on roll performs:
“Use him extra as a curler please! I am begging,” the fan commented.
One fan thought Flagg bought fouled on the play and may have gotten an opportunity for a free throw.
“The place is the and-1 refs?” the fan commented.
Others had been merely amassed at Flagg’s athletic prowess:
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“That play was completely nuts,” one other person added.
Whereas Flagg’s dunk was spectacular, his efficiency in opposition to the Kansas basketball squad’s stout protection was telling. Flagg totaled simply 13 factors and 5 assists, a hanging distinction to the 17.8 factors and eight.8 rebounds he averaged on the season.
The Duke basketball group entered their matchup with a 4-1 report and was ranked No. 11 within the nation. They fell to 4-2 however will doubtless retain a high rating. Their loss hurts. But, the expertise they gained from enjoying one of many nation’s high groups ought to bode properly for them sooner or later.
Duke takes on its subsequent matchup in opposition to the Seattle Redhawks on Nov. 29.