No. 2 Duke flexed its dominance in the ACC with a commanding 100-65 victory over Florida State on Saturday night, overcoming an early injury scare to freshman star Cooper Flagg.
Isaiah Evans led the Blue Devils with 19 points, while Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach added 14 points each to help Duke (26-3, 17-1 ACC) maintain a one-game lead over Clemson atop the conference standings. Despite missing starting guard Tyrese Proctor due to a knee injury, Duke’s depth proved too much for the Seminoles.
Flagg, who finished with 16 points, exited the game midway through the first half after taking a hard foul to the face. The freshman sensation sat out over 11 minutes and twice left the court for evaluations before returning strong in the second half. In his first 12 minutes back on the floor, Flagg scored 12 points, including a key sequence where he blocked a shot, sparking a fast break that led to Knueppel’s three-point play to put Duke up 62-35.
At the time of Flagg’s exit, Duke led 14-11. However, the Blue Devils responded emphatically, closing the first half on a dominant run to take a 47-30 halftime lead. They remained in control throughout the second half, aided by a season-high 21 offensive rebounds.
Florida State (16-13, 7-11 ACC) struggled defensively, allowing 90-plus points for the second time in a week following Monday’s blowout loss to North Carolina. Jamir Watkins led the Seminoles with 21 points, while Jerry Deng added 12.
Duke’s ball movement was elite, recording 12 assists on 16 first-half baskets without committing a single turnover. The Blue Devils remained perfect at home, using their depth and rebounding dominance to compensate for Flagg’s absence and Proctor’s injury.
Florida State’s defense faltered again, conceding its second-highest point total of the season.
Duke will play its home finale Monday night against Wake Forest, looking to stay atop the ACC standings. Florida State travels to Virginia on Tuesday, hoping to end its three-game losing streak.
