Cooper Flagg makes his feelings known after dropping 42pts on 14 shots vs Notre Dame

Freshman Cooper Flagg broke the Duke and ACC freshman scoring records, leading No. 4 Duke to an 86-78 win over Notre Dame on Saturday, Jan. 11.

The 6-foot-9 preseason Associated Press All-American delivered an incredible performance, scoring 42 points, shooting 11-of-14 from the field, 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and 16-of-17 from the free-throw line.

He tallied seven assists, six rebounds and a steal, putting together an all-around game that wore down Notre Dame’s defense almost single-handedly.

After the game, teammate Sion James interviewed Flagg about his record-breaking performance.

"It feels great to do it with this group of guys and an incredible group so I’m just really happy to do it tonight," Flagg said, reflecting on the milestone.

Flagg also commented on the atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium, which was filled with 9,314 fans.

"It feels great to have the students back in Cameron (Indoor Stadium) back from the holiday break so it’s an incredible environment. Just had to battle it all and get the win," he added.

The standout performance placed Flagg ahead of Zion Williamson, whose 35-point game against Syracuse in 2019 had been the highest-scoring performance by a Duke freshman. Flagg also became the first Duke player to score 40 or more points in a game since J.J. Redick accomplished the feat against Virginia in January 2006.

The Blue Devils (14-2, 6-0 ACC) overcame a strong shooting effort by the Fighting Irish (7-9, 1-4 ACC) to secure their 10th consecutive victory, tying the longest winning streak for Duke under head coach Jon Scheyer.

Flagg made additional history by becoming the first Duke player since Jon Scheyer in 2009 to record at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a single game.

Duke Dominates Against Notre Dame

Duke continued its stronghold over Notre Dame, securing another victory in their 40th matchup. The Blue Devils now lead the all-time series 32-8, including a commanding 12-2 record in games played in Durham.

The Blue Devils have been on fire in conference play, shooting an impressive 51.6% from the field and winning four of their first five ACC matchups by margins of 20 or more points.

Against Notre Dame, they controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Fighting Irish 34-21. Duke also outscored Notre Dame 26-16 in the paint and limited them to just two fast-break points.

Duke had two other NBA Draft prospects contribute in double figures. Khaman Maluach delivered a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, missing just one shot, while Kon Knueppel added 13 points, three rebounds, and five assists, sinking a pair of three-pointers.

Duke established a double-digit lead early in the second half, but Notre Dame battled back, cutting the deficit to just four points at one stage. However, the Blue Devils maintained their composure, hitting key free throws down the stretch to secure the win despite the late push.

Flagg and the Blue Devils will face the Miami Hurricanes on Tuesday, looking to extend their 10-game winning streak.