When the Duke Blue Devils met the Kentucky Wildcats last week, an entertaining game with outstanding performances, particularly from top prospect Cooper Flagg, was expected. In a surprise change of events, Kentucky, headed by Mark Pope, won convincingly. This triumph was no accident; Pope had adopted precise measures that successfully controlled Flagg in the fourth quarter, delivering Kentucky’s surprise victory.
A recent video from the last minutes of Kentucky’s stunning victory over Duke has gone viral on social media. The movie provides a view into a pivotal moment in which head coach Mark Pope’s instructions were critical to his team’s victory, particularly in restraining Cooper Flagg, who had already scored 26 points with only a few minutes remaining in the game.
Mark Pope called out EXACTLY what Cooper Flagg was about to do before the game-winning steal
(
: @KentuckyMBB) pic.twitter.com/bWc5hu0uCc
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 18, 2024
In the video, the head coach is plainly giving out the approach for his players. “If I can get Cooper on an ISO, we’ll come and rotate down. Use two hands to get the ball. “If Cooper goes to work and spins, we’ll have someone there to catch the ball,” Pope assured his players.
Just seconds later, the camera catches the game-winning play: Kentucky’s Otega Oweh takes the ball from Cooper Flagg, implementing Pope’s strategy. This theft created the groundwork for the Wildcats to receive free-throw opportunities, which ultimately led to Kentucky’s victory.
The Duke guard had been dominant, scoring an astounding 26 points, but it was his costly blunders in the last seconds that proved to be the difference for Jon Scheyer’s Duke team, who suffered their first loss of the season.
Cooper Flagg’s game against Kentucky marked a watershed moment for the young star, as he scored more over 20 points and recorded his second double-double in just three collegiate games. However, there is more to the tale than just the amazing stats. The 17-year-old’s turnover swung the momentum significantly. Flagg had committed two turnovers in each of his previous games without harming Duke’s victory, but this time the mistake proved costly.
Duke’s guard had a difficult night with the ball, committing three turnovers, about half of Duke’s total of seven. That figure may appear manageable, but the timing of those blunders made them more devastating. Duke was holding on to a tiny lead with only two minutes remaining in a tense contest. Kentucky, however, took advantage of the opportunity. Andrew Carr’s basket, followed by a clutch free throw, reversed the score in Kentucky’s favor, leaving Duke down 70-72 and bringing the game into a frantic finish.
Despite Duke’s tie at 72, Flagg’s second error allowed Kentucky to take the lead. Flagg committed two errors in the last 12 seconds, giving the Wildcats significant opportunity to win the game. While the Wildcats converted free throws in the last 15 seconds—none of which were due to Flagg’s fouls—the criticism leveled at the rookie centered on the idea that the game would not have reached that tense moment if not for his critical errors.
While the attention has changed as a result of those late turnovers, Cooper Flagg’s outstanding effort in the game should not be overlooked. At only 17 years old, he’s already shown amazing potential, but like with any young player, he still has a lot to learn, particularly when it comes to managing defensive plans like the one Mark Pope put out.
Leave a Reply