Despite being "pissed" at Cooper Flagg, Jon Scheyer shows utmost confidence in the 18yo Duke star vs Virginia Tech

Duke coach Jon Scheyer showed his trust in Cooper Flagg by keeping him on the court despite two early fouls in the Blue Devils' game against Virginia Tech on Tuesday. Flagg was charged with his second foul at the 12:50 mark of the first half but instead of pulling him out, Scheyer showed utmost confidence in the 18-year-old guard/forward.

The gamble paid off for the third-year coach, as Flagg scored 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-4 from the 3-point range, to lead Duke to an 88-65 win over Virginia Tech and improve to 11-2 (3-0 in ACC).

"I'm pretty aggressive. Unless something crazy (is going to happen), he's gonna play," Scheyer said of Flagg. "I was pissed at him for getting the second foul. To be honest that is a first problem, we need to make sure he doesn't do that."

Scheyer praised the young superstar for providing lockdown defense despite being saddled with the foul handicap.

"But even with two (fouls), I thought he did a really good job of still playing hard but yet not picking that foul. So you know more times than not, that's were going to do," Scheyer said.

In 13 games, Cooper Flagg has averaged 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He's the team's leader in all departments and it has helped him keep the top spot in various mock drafts.

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Cooper Flagg shows all-round brilliance in Duke's victory over Virginia Tech

Cooper Flagg did more than just score points against Virginia Tech, he also delivered in other facets of the game. He finished with three rebounds, six assists, four steals and one block in 30 minutes for Duke, who scorched the Hokies in the second half, scoring 51 points and allowing 38.

Flagg's scoring outburst also freed up his teammates. Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor added 13 points apiece while Isaiah Evans added 12 on 4-of-7 shooting from long range.

Sion James and Mason Gillis contributed 10 apiece for the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils, who will aim to win their eighth straight game against SMU on Saturday.

The Mustangs (11-2, 2-0 in ACC) are also on a seven-game winning streak and have won their first two conference games against Virginia (63-51) and Boston College (103-77). SMU won against Longwood, 98-82, in its last game on Sunday.