Duke coach says it’s time to get Cooper Flagg ‘refreshed and reenergized’ after battling illness

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Cooper Flagg wasn’t at his best Saturday.

Coincidentally, Duke’s preseason All-American wasn’t feeling anywhere near his best either.

Flagg, who battled cramping during a 77-71 loss to Clemson, confirmed after the game that he’s been dealing with an illness, although the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft refused to use that as an excuse for perhaps his worst performance of the season.

Flagg missed nine of his first 11 shots, including several shots close to the rim on drives, and had just four points in the game’s first 34 minutes. He heated up down the stretch and finish with 18 points, including three clutch 3s, but had a key turnover with 14 seconds left when he slipped and fell on a drive to the basket with the Blue Devils down by two.

Flagg finished 6 of 17 from the field.

“I was definitely cramping throughout the end of the game,” Flagg said. “I have been a little under the weather with a cold, or a little virus or whatever. No excuses as you have to be able to play through it. We have to be able to find a way. We were in position to win the game but we have to make those plays.”

Coach Jon Scheyer suggested after the game the Blue Devils might need to lighten the freshman’s load, saying “we put so much on his shoulders and I have to help take some of that off because there is so much we ask of him defensively and offensively.”

And, he added, it’s time to get Flagg healthy.

“We just have to get his body refreshed and reenergized,” Scheyer said. “He didn’t have that same (energy) the last couple of days in practice. We have to get him back.”

Tyrese Proctor stepped in Flagg’s absence, scoring 23 points — one shy of his career high. He knew he had to take a little more of the scoring load with Flagg struggling.

“Coop’s good,” Proctor said. “Obviously he might have been under the weather, but he competed and he fought. He will be the first one to tell you that he’s not going to use that as an excuse, and neither are we.”

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said the strategy coming into the game was to put pressure on Flagg and make things difficult for him. And for most of the game, the Tigers did just that — giving them plenty of confidence heading into next month’s Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“We wanted to do what we can to make his catches a little tougher,” Brownell said. “Nothing that nobody else hasn’t done. But be physical. They had other guys making shots too that made it hard on us. He was great down the stretch. We did just a good enough job to win.”

Scheyer said after the game the loss hurt.

Not only did it kill No. 2 Duke’s chances of becoming the first ACC team to finish 20-0 in the regular season, but it also snapped a 16-game winning streak and ruined an opportunity for the Blue Devils to claim the No. 1 spot in the country. Top-ranked Auburn lost earlier day to No. 6 Florida, which means No. 3 Alabama could leapfrog both and land in the top spot.

“It hurts because I think this team is capable of special things,” Scheyer said.

Meanwhile, it was another big win for Clemson, with ESPN commentator Dick Vitale back at the announcer’s table after his fourth bout with cancer.

Clemson defeated No. 4 Kentucky 70-66 here at Littlejohn Coliseum in December.

The Tigers got huge games Saturday from Viktor Lakhin, who had 22 points, as well as Ian Schieffelin and Chase Hunter, who scored six of Clemson’s final eight points. It also spoke to the “Clemson grit” that Brownell likes to talk about, as the Tigers rebounded with a big win after an 89-86 triple overtime loss to Georgia Tech earlier in the week.

“Tonight is about our guys, really,” Brownell said. “Our guys mustered up the spirit and energy after a tough loss and really just doing what we needed to do to get ourselves a chance to win. They made the plays they have to make in a tough game, so that was awesome.”

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