"Buddy is 4'9 trying this over 7'2": Duke fans in splits as Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach dominate UNC player on defense

Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils dominated the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first half of their highly anticipated ACC showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday night, building a commanding 47-25 lead at the break.

Flagg sent the Cameron Crazies into a frenzy with one of his defensive plays in the opening period. Duke held a 32-13 lead with 9:14 remaining in the first half when North Carolina's Elliot Cadeau attacked the defense of Flagg. The Duke star stood his ground and had help from Khaman Maluach, who waited for Cadeau inside the shaded area.

Cadeau had nowhere to go as Flagg swatted away his layup attempt, leading to a fastbreak opportunity for the Blue Devils. College hoops fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to react to Flagg and Maluach's defensive masterclass.

"YEAAHHHHH COOOP!!!!" one fan wrote.

"Buddy is 4’9 trying this over 7’2," one fan chimed in.

"No chance," one fan pointed out.

Here are some other reactions.

"Get that s**t out of here!!" one fan shared.

"Legit guffawed at this," one fan posted.

"We look like the Dream Team out there right now," one fan replied.

Cooper Flagg's first-half explosion helps Duke Blue Devils claim win over North Carolina

Cooper Flagg powered Duke to a strong start against North Carolina, scoring 13 points in the first half. He shot 4-of-7 from the field, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Flagg, who shot 3-for-5 from the free-throw line, also had five assists and four rebounds in the opening period. He was a disruptive force on the defensive end, recording two steals and two blocks against the Tar Heels.

Flagg entered the contest in fine form, averaging 19.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 blocks through 20 games. He leads the second-ranked Blue Devils in those categories.

Cooper Flagg (#2) and Tyrese Proctor (#5) of the Duke Blue Devils react during the first half of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 01, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. Photo: Getty

Tyrese Proctor was the other player to score in double figures for Duke in the first half. He scored 10 points on 2-for-3 shooting. The junior guard was automatic at the charity stripe, draining all five of his free-throw attempts.

Flagg and Proctor continued their stellar play in the second half as they finished the game with 21 and 17 points, respectively. Kon Knueppel led all scorers with 22 points, helping the Blue Devils record an 87-70 win over the Tar Heels.