March Madness: Cooper Flagg shows no signs of rust in commanding return as Duke dominates Mount Saint Mary's

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Cooper Flagg and Duke dominated Mount Saint Mary's on Friday. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
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So far, so good in Duke's quest for a sixth NCAA tournament title.

Cooper Flagg returned to the lineup Friday after missing two-plus games with a sprained ankle and looked no worse for wear as No. 1 seed Duke went on to a commanding 93-49 win over No. 16 seed Mount Saint Mary's.

Flagg was his typically dominant self as Duke controlled the game from the tip. The Blue Devils secured an eight-point lead in the game's opening minutes and quickly put to rest any notion that Mount Saint Mary's would make it a competitive game.

Flagg got on the board with an and-one layup and made free throw to extend Duke's lead to 10-2 at the 18:22 mark of the first half, setting the tone for his performance and the game.

COOPER FLAG WITH THE AND-1 TO BEGIN HIS NCAA TOURNAMENT RUN

(via @MarchMadnessMBB) pic.twitter.com/GV4aBa5OPj

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 21, 2025

Duke coach Jon Scheyer liked what he saw from his All-America forward early in the game.

"He’s looking great," Scheyer told CBS during an early break in the action. "For me, it’s about the way he’s moving. You can tell he’s ready to go. I think more anxious than anything, but he’s been great for us."

Flagg continued to thrive and finished the first half with nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two blocks. He appeared to be under no limitations while playing 13 minutes. He was aggressive around the basket, including on this baseline dunk on a pass from Patrick Ngongba.

WELCOME TO THE DANCE, COOPER FLAGG

(via @MarchMadnessMBB) pic.twitter.com/2QnhuNTS18

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 21, 2025

Flagg concurred with Scheyer's assessment of his health at halftime as Duke went into the break with a 54-28 lead.

"It’s feeling great," Flagg told CBS of his ankle. "I think our team has put up a really good effort. We’re executing really well. Things are going really well."

There was no miracle Mount Saint Mary's rally in the second half. Duke extended its lead with a 7-4 run before the first break in the action after halftime. That run included Flagg's first made 3-pointer of the game.

Flagg pure from the corner #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/6TOnfxLuP2

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2025

From there, the only question concerned the margin of Duke's inevitable victory. The answer was 44 points.

Flagg finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks in just 22 minutes, putting to rest any concern that the sprained left ankle he suffered last Thursday against Georgia Tech would impact him in the NCAA tournament. He rested for much of the second half with the outcome of the game secure.

Duke's not just Cooper Flagg​

More good news for Duke? Flagg wasn't the only player to impress.

Flagg's supporting cast that features two other All-ACC players (Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor) and two fellow projected first-round NBA picks (Knueppel, Khaman Maluach) also thrived as Duke controlled the game on both sides of the floor from inside and out.

Tyrese Proctor led Duke in scoring with 19 points while shooting 6 of 8 from 3-point distance. Maluach scored from the post and the perimeter and had a three-possession stretch that included two dunks and a made 3-pointer. He finished the game with 11 points and five rebounds.

As a team, Duke shot 50% from the field and 37.8% (14 of 37) from 3-point distance and turned the ball over just twice. The Blue Devils limited the Mountaineers to 30.2% shooting from the field and an 18.5% (5 of 27) effort from 3-point distance.

Up next for Duke is No. 9 seed Baylor, which edged No. 8 seed Mississippi State earlier Friday.

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