After Cooper Flagg Gets Clamped in Clutch Time vs Kentucky, Jon Scheyer Unravels Duke Players' "Disappointed and Heartbroken" Locker Room Reaction

For the first time this season, there is a reflective silence in Duke's locker room as Cooper Flagg and Co. fall to the Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday. No. 6 Blue Devils maintained a lead for the majority of the game. They led by nine at the half and had scrapped the Cat's touch from the 3-point line.

However, the Durham school fumbled the bag in the final minutes of the State Farm Champions Classic in Atlanta, resulting in somber faces in the locker room.

"We've got a locker room full of guys that are disappointed and heartbroken," coach Jon Scheyer said to Jack Pilgrim of Kentucky Sports Radio.

Cooper Flagg singlehandedly kept his team floating against the Wildcats’ late surge. As Duke went through multiple scoreless stretches, the freshman poured 12 of the Blue Devils' last 14 points. The only other points in the last 10:21 minutes came off Tyrese Proctor's two free throws as the roster collectively missed 12 attempts in the same stretch.

However, Flagg made a game-changing mistake with 12 seconds left on the clock. As he attempted to create space against Andrew Carr, Otega Oweh stripped the forward and initiated a fastbreak. He was fouled at the other end of the court, giving him two shots from the charity stripes and allowing Kentucky to regain the lead.

Flagg then stepped out of bounds before Duke could launch a game-winning/tying shot up.

Jon Scheyer defended Cooper Flagg in the post-game conference

On the floor, Cooper Flagg was determined to take Duke home. He finished the night with game-highs of 26 points and 12 rebounds. He also showed up after the game, after the Blue Devils had decided to not bring its players to the podium for the post-game conference.

All three of Cooper Flagg's turnovers came in the last two minutes of the game. Kentucky anticipated Duke's offense to flow out of the freshman's hands and capitalized when it mattered the most.

Jon Scheyer defended his star by revealing that it was part of the game plan to enable Flagg to trust his game and instincts.

"The ball in his hands, I think they knew that was happening too," Scheyer said. "And I'm okay with that and we're going to be in these moments a lot together, and I trust his instincts, and I probably could have put him in a better position to be honest."

"But he's got to touch it and trust that good things are going to happen. I wish you could say that every time it's going to work out and that's not reality. I'm just so proud of him, man." (1:30)

Jon Scheyer's squad is now 2-1 in the season (1st in ACC) and will face the Wofford Terriers on Friday.