"Definitely a war": Cooper Flagg reflects on thrilling win over Arizona ahead of Duke star's first Elite Eight in NCAA career

Duke star Cooper Flagg was thrilled after his team beat No. 4 seed Arizona 100-93 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament at Prudential Center on Thursday. After the Blue Devils secured a spot in the Elite Eight, Flagg reflected on the victory in the locker room with some of his teammates.

"I mean, it feels great," Flagg said while being interviewed by his Duke teammate Neal Begovich in the locker room. "It was a tough battle out there. Coach said it was gonna be a war, and it was definitely a war. They (Arizona) are a really competitive team, so it was a battle out there. But it was fun. We got it done and onto the next.

Flagg, who is in his freshman year, is enjoying a fabulous season with Duke. He helped them win the regular season title, followed by the ACC Tournament title.

Against Arizona, Flagg recorded a team-high 30 points, along with seven assists and six rebounds. His teammates, Kon Knueppel and Sion James, contributed 20 points and 16 points, respectively.

Meanwhile, Wildcats star Caleb Love recorded a game-high 35 points, with four rebounds and one assist. However, he didn't get much support from his Arizona teammates apart from Jaden Bradley and Henri Veesar, who posted 15 points and 13 points, respectively.

Cooper Flagg and Duke will lock horns with No. 2 seed Alabama in Elite Eight

Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg - Source: Getty

Cooper Flagg's top-seeded Duke will face No. 2 seed Alabama in the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide demolished BYU 113-88 to book their ticket. The game will tip off at 8:49 p.m. ET on Saturday from Prudential Center.

Duke beat No.16 seed St. Mary's 93-49 in the first round and then took down No. 9 seed Baylor 89-66 in the second round. The Blue Devils also got the better of Arizona in the Sweet 16.

Flagg has been critical to Duke's progress in March Madness this season. He is averaging 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. And despite suffering a sprained ankle in the ACC Tournament, Flagg has continued to produce in the tournament. He's averaging 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks in three games.

The freshman star will be aiming to go all the way and help the Blue Devils win the national title this season.