Kon Knueppel stats today - How did Duke star fare in Cooper Flagg’s absence vs Georgia Tech

Kon Knueppel has had an interesting freshman season at Duke. A top 10 recruit, the elite wing player has often seemed like Robin to teammate Cooper Flagg's version of Batman. But in Thursday's ACC Tournament quarterfinal, Flagg went down late in the first half with an apparent leg injury. Knueppel's seized the opportunity to step into the spotlight and showcase his abilities as a lead player.

Kon Knueppel's stats vs. Georgia Tech

Knueppel had his best game of the season after Cooper Flagg went down with a first-half injury. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

It's worth noting that Flagg left the game with Georgia Tech holding a surprising 26-17 lead with 2:46 remaining in the first half. Through that point, Knueppel had just six points.

But the star freshman asserted himself significantly after Flagg's injury. Knueppel finished with 28 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Knueppel connected on 2 of 6 3-point tries and made 12-for-13 free throws. Knueppel also grabbed five rebounds (two of those on the offensive end), dished eight assists, grabbed two steals, blocked a shot, and committed just one turnover and one foul.

The freshman's plus/minus stat in his 38 minutes on the court was +9. That means Duke was at -1 during Knueppel's brief rest break. The 28 points marked a season—and career-high, surpassing his previous best of 25 points against Miami in January.

Knueppel's season-to-date

Coming into the game, Knueppel was averaging 13.7 points per game, second-best on Duke's team behind Flagg. Knueppel shot 47% and 40% beyond the arc. Consistent with his performance on Thursday, Knueppel is also a 91.4% shooter at the free throw line.

Knueppel was averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this season. Defensively, his 29 steals were fourth-best on Duke's roster, while his 39 turnovers were the second-highest on the team.

Knueppel entered Thursday's game eighth in the SEC with 69 made 3-point shots, and ninth in attempts from long range at 173. Knueppel was named to last week's second-team All-ACC roster, compiled by the league's coaches and media members.

Duke's season

Duke had to rally without Flagg to beat Georgia Tech, but that injury certainly casts some doubt on the Blue Devils' long-range situation. While Flagg was able to hop/hobble off the court, he was in a lot of pain and it was unclear whether the injury was limited to his ankle or involves his knee as well.

The No. 1-ranked Blue Devils have built their team around Flagg, who was the ACC Player of the Year and is a strong contender for National Player of the Year. If he becomes unavailable for any length of time, with the NCAA Tournament likely looming just seven or eight days away, Kon Knueppel's role will become even more critical to the Blue Devils' future success.

What do you think about Knueppel's big game? Share your thoughts on the Blue Devils below in our comments section!