Costly Cooper Flagg slip ruins flu game for Duke star as Clemson pulls off major upset

Cooper Flagg's second-half explosion came to naught as the Duke Blue Devils lost 77-71 to the Clemson Tigers on Saturday night at Littlejohn Coliseum. Flagg had a chance to send the game into overtime, but a costly error late in regulation spoiled his heroic performance during a flu game.

Flagg took over late in the second half, scoring 14 of Duke's last 17 points to swing the momentum in the Blue Devils' favor. His scoring outburst helped turn a 59-54 deficit into a 71-70 lead for Duke with 58 seconds left.

However, Chase Hunter put Clemson back in front with a layup at the 38-second mark, and Viktor Lakhin added a free throw after a scoreless Duke possession, giving the Tigers a 73-71 lead with 21 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for Cooper Flagg, who got the ball on the ensuing possession. He attacked the basket after receiving the inbound pass but slipped just as he was about to elevate for a shot attempt. Flagg was called for a traveling violation, giving the ball back to the Tigers, who scored four more points to seal the win.

Despite the loss, it was still a courageous effort from Cooper Flagg, who was under the weather for the contest against Clemson. He had a slow start, recording just four points, two steals and one assist in 18 minutes of action.

His struggles continued at the start of the second half, as he missed his first six field-goal attempts before his late scoring barrage. Flagg finished the game with 18 points, five rebounds, three steals, one assist and one block. He shot 6-for-17, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.

Tyrese Proctor steps up for Duke amid Cooper Flagg's offensive woes in the first half

The second-ranked Duke Blue Devils entered the halftime break with a 41-35 lead over the Clemson Tigers, despite Cooper Flagg’s offensive struggles in the first half.

Chase Hunter (#1) of the Clemson Tigers guards Tyrese Proctor (#5) of the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during their game at Littlejohn Coliseum on February 08, 2025. Photo: Getty

Tyrese Proctor led the Blue Devils in scoring during that period with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting. He also contributed in other departments, grabbing two rebounds, nabbing two steals and dishing out one assist in the opening half.

Kon Knueppel also stepped up for Duke coach Jon Scheyer, recording 11 points, one rebound and one assist. He shot 4-for-6, including 3-for-4 from the 3-point area.