Duke's Battle Against the Top - A Tale of Near Misses

Flagg's Ball Security: A Work in Progress

Cooper Flagg, still only 17 years old, is a freshman superstar for the Duke Blue Devils. While he showed great potential, there are some areas that need improvement. In the first half, he scored only one shot due to intense defensive attention. He had as many points as turnovers four minutes into the second half. Flagg gave the ball away four times on Tuesday, a trend that has cost Duke two wins now. As a prodigious athlete, he sometimes takes too long to create space outside the paint instead of driving downhill. These are high-level criticisms for a freshman on big stages, but they are areas that need to be addressed.

It’s important to remember that Flagg is still developing, and these are lessons that he can learn. By March, the Duke Blue Devils need him to be more consistent with his ball security. Small mistakes can make a big difference in close games, and Flagg needs to trim down these errors to help the team succeed.

The Assists Were Massive, but Knueppel's Shooting Struggles

Kon Knueppel had a significant impact on Tuesday’s game with nearly half of the team’s assists, setting up eight baskets for his teammates. However, he missed all eight of his 3-point attempts and finished with 11 points on 4/14 shooting. This performance is eerily reminiscent of his game against Kentucky, where he scored 14 points but had a low shooting percentage.

Knueppel started the year on an offensive tear but has struggled against top-25 opponents. Over the past four games, he has made only six of his 26 3-point attempts, a 23.1% clip. Cold streaks happen, and it’s important to see if this helps him grow by the postseason. But for now, there is cause for concern about his shooting consistency.

Buy the Tyrese Proctor Emergence - A Standout Performance

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tyrese Proctor had a great game on Tuesday night. He scored 15 points by the nine-minute mark of the second half, making five of his first six 3-point attempts. His willpower kept the Blue Devils within striking distance.

As a junior, Proctor is averaging 12.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while making 50% of his 3-point attempts. Compared to Jeremy Roach last year, who averaged 14.0 points and made 42.9% of his triples, Proctor is showing that he can be a key contributor. He might not handle the ball as much this season, but his veteran presence is evident.

Maliq Brown - A Defensive Menace

Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer praised Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown for his defensive abilities. On Tuesday, Brown showed why with four steals and at least three or four more times knocking the ball away from Kansas. His defensive presence disrupted the Kansas offense and let the Duke defense settle. He also rose to the emotional challenge when Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson tried to get physical.

Brown’s ability to create turnovers and disrupt the opposing team’s rhythm is a valuable asset for the Duke team. His defensive efforts contribute to the overall team defense and help the Blue Devils stay in games.

Sion James - A Potential Starter

Tulane transfer Sion James has been a positive presence on the court. He ended the game with 10 points, making all three of his shots including two 3-pointers. In just 18.5 minutes per game, he is averaging 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals while making 55.2% of his looks and 41.7% of his threes.

On the other hand, sophomore Caleb Foster has struggled at times. He scores 8.9 points per game overall but drops to 6.0 points against top-25 foes. He has played the least among the starting five, averaging 23.2 minutes per contest. While he had a solid performance against Wofford, his shooting percentage from distance is only 23.5%. It might be time for Foster to take a step back for a few games to give James a chance to start and show his potential.