IN PICS: Cooper Flagg, Duke bench left stunned as Isaiah Evans throws down vicious dunk after Khaman Maluach block 

On Wednesday night, Duke entered the raucous environment of Syracuse’s JMA Wireless Dome, one of the largest arenas in college basketball. The Blue Devils' top prospect, Cooper Flagg, had been on a scoring tear in ACC play, surpassing 20 points in his previous four games. However, his hot streak seemed to cool in this particular matchup.

While fans were excited to see Flagg in action, it was Isaiah Evans who stole the spotlight with a thunderous dunk following a block by Khaman Maluach. The Blue Devils' social media team shared some on-court snapshots of the team, with a caption that read:

"I love this team."

The post quickly gained traction as supporters celebrated the highlight play. Flagg struggled early in the game, contributing only a 3-pointer from the wing seven minutes into the contest. It was followed by a mid-range jumper in the final minutes of the first half.

He found it difficult to drive to the basket, which slowed down Duke’s offense. Despite the shift, Duke still managed a decent 6-of-15 performance from beyond the arc in the first half.

Duke's Cooper Flagg and Co. were on fire vs Syracuse

For junior transfer Maliq Brown, this game was a homecoming. The former Syracuse player had developed a reputation as an elite defender, averaging 5.9 deflections and 1.5 steals per game. Brown had played a crucial role in Duke’s defensive efforts against North Carolina just days earlier.

Head coach Jon Scheyer had hoped to see a more aggressive version of Flagg, one willing to absorb contact and draw fouls. However, Flagg attempted only two free throws in the opening half. Duke also struggled to control the boards, with Maluach and Brown combining for just four rebounds in 23 minutes of play.

Duke’s interior defense, led by Maluach and Patrick Ngongba II, forced Syracuse into taking difficult shots. The Orange, who had been shooting just 31.9% from 3-point range this season, was forced into a series of low-percentage attempts. Duke’s defensive efforts, including tight shot contests and disrupted passing lanes, kept Syracuse from capitalizing on offensive rebounds and second-chance points.

At the start of the second half, Kon Knueppel set the tone. He locked in on Lucas Taylor, preventing an open look on a flare screen, then intercepted a pass from J.J. Starling. Seconds later, he drained a 3-pointer, extending Duke’s lead to 17 and reinforcing the team’s dominance.

The Blue Devils maintained control throughout the remainder of the game, securing another road victory.

Duke will continue its streak of orange-themed matchups, heading next to Littlejohn Coliseum to face Clemson on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.