“Unprecedented winning streak comes to an end: The stunning upset is revealed!”
Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils faced their third defeat of the season, coming up short against ACC rival Clemson last Saturday. The Blue Devils saw their impressive 16-game winning streak halted, bringing their season record to 20-3 overall and 12-1 in conference play. Heading into the week, the team held the No. 2 spot in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, and a victory could have potentially propelled them to the No. 1 ranking after top-ranked Auburn was upset by Florida earlier the same day.
Flagg, anticipated to be the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, along with Duke, will be aiming to bounce back as they prepare for upcoming home games against California on Wednesday and Stanford on Saturday.
In terms of how Clemson managed to defeat Duke, the Tigers, ranked No. 21 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, put together a strong second half performance to overtake the Blue Devils. Although Duke held a 41-35 lead at halftime, a decisive 12-0 run with under 10 minutes left in the game propelled Clemson to a 56-49 advantage.
Senior center Viktor Lakhin led the way for Clemson with 22 points, along with four rebounds and three blocks. Additionally, three other Tigers players scored in double figures, with senior forward Ian Schieffelin contributing 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Following their triumph over Duke, Clemson fans flooded the court in celebration after the 77-71 victory at home. This marked Clemson’s third win against Duke in their last seven matchups, all of which have been achieved on their home court. Duke had secured a narrow 72-71 victory in the previous encounter against Clemson on January 27, 2024.
During the loss on Saturday night, Flagg tallied 19 points, five rebounds, and one assist for Duke. With Clemson holding a slim 73-71 lead with 18.9 seconds left in regulation, Flagg had an opportunity to tie the game but unfortunately slipped on the court while attempting to drive to the basket, resulting in a travel violation.
This story was originally featured on USA TODAY: Duke, Cooper Flagg fall to Clemson: How it happened
