Clemson’s big men stifled Duke star Cooper Flagg, who had just four points with six minutes left to play, in the Tigers’ 77-71 win over the Blue Devils on Saturday night. The Tigers dominated No. 2 Duke in the paint and on the glass, pulling away from their opponents.
Coach Brad Brownell praised his team’s second-half performance, saying it was “about as good as we can play.” Forward Viktor Lakhin finished with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots after receiving a crucial lesson on composure. Lakhin played just 15 minutes in the previous triple-overtime loss to Georgia Tech due to foul trouble.
Lakhin’s improved performance was key in stifling Flagg, who struggled to find his shot despite being touted as a top prospect. The Tigers outscored Duke 40-22 in the paint and finished with a 36-23 edge in rebounding.
In the final minutes of the game, Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin’s dunk put them up by five. However, Flagg responded with two free throws and a 3-pointer, narrowing the deficit before being called for traveling on a driving attempt. The Tigers never looked back after that point.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer attributed Flagg’s performance to his struggles with physical fatigue due to recent practice sessions. He noted that Flagg had played through pain in previous games but needed help recovering and getting “refreshed, reenergized.”
Source: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43756528/cooper-flagg-no-2-duke-falter-late-loss-clemson