DURHAM — Miami’s interim coach Bill Courtney used three timeouts in the first half against Duke basketball, two of which came within a minute. However, the breaks couldn’t halt the onslaught as Kon Knueppel and the No. 3 Blue Devils dominated, cruising to an 89-54 victory over the Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Knueppel delivered a career-high 25 points, including 18 in a blistering 50-point first half for Duke (15-2, 7-0 ACC). The Blue Devils drained 16 three-pointers and recorded 24 assists on 33 made baskets. Khaman Maluach notched his second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds, while Cooper Flagg contributed 13 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Mason Gillis rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points off the bench.

Duke returns to action on Saturday at Boston College (9-8, 1-5) before taking a week-long break. Here are the key takeaways from Duke’s dominant performance over Miami.

Knueppel’s Hot Hand

Freshman Kon Knueppel, who hadn’t reached 20 points since Duke’s season opener against Maine, came out firing. He nearly hit that mark in the first half alone, scoring 11 points in the first seven minutes. Knueppel sank four 3-pointers in the half and scored 18 points on his first eight attempts. Over four January games, he’s shooting an impressive 50% from beyond the arc, hitting 15 of 30 three-point attempts.

Flagg’s Versatility on Display

After setting an ACC freshman record with 42 points against Notre Dame, Cooper Flagg shifted his focus to playmaking. He tallied six assists in the first half, though he also committed a season-high five turnovers. Despite the miscues, the 6-foot-9 freshman has recorded 18 assists over the past three games, proving he’s far more than just a scorer.

Bench Stepping Up in Brown’s Absence

With Maliq Brown sidelined due to a knee injury, Duke coach Jon Scheyer anticipates an extended absence for the key reserve. In Brown’s stead, Purdue transfer Mason Gillis provided a spark off the bench, scoring nine points and dishing out two assists in the first half. Gillis connected on all three of his three-point attempts and made key plays on back-to-back possessions. Overall, Duke dominated bench scoring with a 34-8 advantage.

Duke basketball hopes Cooper Flagg has an encore performance following his 42-point outburst.

The Blue Devil Rookie May Be Just Getting Warmed Up in Durham

Conference play isn’t supposed to be a breeze for freshmen, even in a down year for the ACC, but Duke basketball’s Cooper Flagg has been playing like a seasoned veteran over the past five weeks.

In ACC games, Flagg is putting up remarkable averages: 23.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Those stats are rare, even for someone widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

What’s even more impressive is his efficiency. Flagg is shooting 59.5% from the field, 55% from beyond the arc, and 88.1% from the free-throw line.

His most recent outing was a historic one, setting the Duke and ACC freshman scoring record with 42 points in a win over Notre Dame.

So, what’s next for him?

The Blue Devils are set to host a struggling Miami team on Tuesday night. Miami’s season has gone from bad to worse, compounded by coach Jim Larrañaga’s retirement announcement shortly after Christmas.

Given Miami’s lackluster performance this year, Duke has faced mid-major teams with more competitive energy. It’s unlikely Flagg will need to replicate his heroics from the Notre Dame game, as this matchup could be decided early in Duke’s favor.

“Whenever we needed a basket, he delivered,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said after Flagg’s record-breaking night. “He willed us to victory. The fact that it turned into 42 points is amazing, but it was his competitiveness and timely plays that stood out.”

Miami’s defense has been porous, allowing opponents to score an average of 76.3 points per game overall and 79.4 in conference play. In their last three games—all double-digit losses—Miami’s opponents have scored at least 80 points.

This sets the stage for another strong offensive showing from Duke, with Flagg in particular poised to shine as he makes a push for both ACC Player of the Year and National Player of the Year honors.

While another 40-point game is a tall order, Miami’s struggling defense makes anything seem possible.

Tipoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke men’s basketball, led by Electric Cooper Flagg, outperforms BC

Flagg leads the Blue Devils with 28 points in his closest game to his home state in front of a sold-out crowd

CHESTNUT HILL, MA — The Duke men’s basketball team had a slow start, but Cooper Flagg and Tyrese Proctor maintained the Blue Devils in the lead.

They continued their play in the second half. This time they had company.

Flagg scored 28 points, Proctor added 20, and No. 3 Duke defeated Boston College, 88-63, in Flagg’s first — and most likely last — visit to New England with the Blue Devils.

The game at BC’s Conte Forum was sold out, with many of them rooting for the Blue Devils, and the freshman phenom and anticipated No. 1 choice in the NBA draft

“I believe I expected it. “I heard from a lot of people leading up to it,” Flagg explained. “I would not say I felt any kind of pressure. For me, it was more of a godsend.

Both coaches recognized the boisterous audience and whipped themselves into a frenzy to support—or, for Eagles fans, pull against—the boy from Maine.

“That atmosphere was unbelievable,” BC coach Earl Grant stated. “If you weren’t ready to play, you need to choose a different sport.”

Duke’s coach, Jon Scheyer, concurred.

“What a remarkable turnout,” he added. “We’ve come here a lot. Duke supporters have always been well represented, and I believe this was the greatest I’ve ever seen. And I believe that a significant portion of it must

“I believe I expected it. “I heard from a lot of people leading up to it,” Flagg explained. “I would not say I felt any kind of pressure. For me, it was more of a godsend.

Both coaches recognized the boisterous audience and whipped themselves into a frenzy to support—or, for Eagles fans, pull against—the boy from Maine.

“That atmosphere was unbelievable,” BC coach Earl Grant stated. “If you weren’t ready to play, you need to choose a different sport.”

Duke’s coach, Jon Scheyer, concurred.

“What a remarkable turnout,” he added. “We’ve come here a lot. Duke supporters have always been well represented, and I believe this was the greatest I’ve ever seen. And I believe that a significant portion of it must

The victory required considerable effort, which thrilled Scheyer.

“I’m proud of our team tonight,” he stated. “I think our second half was quite good. Give Boston College a lot of credit; they came out really physical and prepared to play. And they set us behind a little bit. I think it was wonderful for us to be in that setting and have that experience.”

Chad Venning led the Eagles (9-9, 1-6 ACC) with 19 points, while Donald Hand Jr. added 12.

There will undoubtedly be minor issues, like as breakdowns and defensive mistakes. Fatigue,” Venning explained. “They’re a great team.

Boston College began its upset effort on a high note, taking an 18-11 lead while Eagles supporters at the sold-out Conte Forum chanted “Over-rated” at Flagg. Flagg started slowly, hitting only one of his first five field goal attempts as Duke battled to get going.

Despite the missed shots, Flagg compensated by attacking the basket and making all seven first-half free throws on his way to 15 points. Proctor added 10 points, giving Duke a 40-34 edge at the intermission.

“We were struggling there in the first half,” Scheyer said. “They were scoring pretty easy, we weren’t.”

In the second half, the Blue Devils rediscovered their groove. After a Venning and-1 cut the deficit to 49-41 with 16:35 remaining, Duke embarked on a 16-2 run, with points from five different players. During the run, Flagg dunks and Proctor shoots, and Isaiah Evans (16 points, 11 in the second half) hits a 3-pointer to make it 58-43 with 12:42 remaining.

“It was a really physical game. Flagg remarked, “We went into halftime thinking about that.” “(We talked about) just coming out and being strong with the ball and just playing more physically.”

Heyer noted the squad improved its inside defense after the break.

“They ended up with 28 points in the paint, I bet they had almost all of them in the beginning of the second half, those first few minutes, and then the first half,” remarked the coach. “I think it’s a mixture of several things. Our post-game defense has to be improved. We just must improve our ball defense. But, more crucially, we weren’t moving five players in a string like we had been.”

BC coach Grant stated that the Eagles lost their way in the second half.

“We took command of the game, but I believe Isaiah Evans came in and really opened it up.” “He changed the game,” he explained. “We had a terrific game plan, and we were executing it well, but we got a little off track. … We did a decent job on Flagg early, but he’s difficult to control.”