"We need him so desperately": Cooper Flagg emphasizes on 24yr old Duke veteran's crucial role despite limited minutes

The freshmen trio of Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach led the Duke Blue Devils past the Miami Hurricanes (89-54) on Tuesday. Knueppel shot 81.8% to score a career-high 25 points.

Flagg produced a balanced 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists while Maluach posted a 12 points and 15 rebounds double-double. Senior forward Mason Gillis also added to the fireworks, scoring a season-high 12 points on 66.7% shooting while coming off the bench.

During a locker room interview, Cooper Flagg summarized Gillis' value to the team.

"Mason beings such a veteran leadership role to the team," Flagg said. "Even when he wasn't getting as many minutes, he's just such a big voice for our team. We need him so desperately. He just helps us so much with having been in college for so long, he knows the ropes so well."

"When he's on the court, the way he talks on defense, it's just so crisp and sharp, it's kind of infectious to everybody. I think one of the things he does best is the way he goes to the glass, offensively and defensively. He just rebounds so well, it's just infectious as well."

Purdue Boilermakers transfer Mason Gillis is averaging a career-low 13.6 minutes per game this season. Nevertheless, he plays a key role in the team's success, adding intensity, leadership, hustle, and physicality to the Blue Devils.

He also brings NCAA final experience from last season, where he earned the Big Ten's Sixth Man of the Year award.

Cooper Flagg broke multiple records with his 42-point performance against Notre Dame

Cooper Flagg dropped 42 points, six rebounds and seven assists against Notre Dame on Friday, breaking multiple records. It was the biggest scoring performance by a freshman in the ACC, breaking the records of former Duke stars RJ Barrett (2018) and Zion Williamson (2019).

He also became the first Blue Devil since Danny Ferry (1988) to touch the 40-point mark with at least five rebounds and five assists.

"I was just out there playing," Flagg said after the game. "When I'm in the game, I don't really know what's going on. I'm just playing locked in."

Cooper Flagg's aggressive approach to the basket set him up for success against the Fighting Irish, as it yielded 16 points from the charity stripes. He entered the game averaging 4.2 points off free throws per game.