Cooper Flagg's latest masterpiece sends Duke into NCAA tournament Elite Eight — 'He was in his element tonight'

NEWARK, NJ — Mark Sears hit a career-high 10 3-pointers as Alabama set an NCAA tournament record. Caleb Love scored 35 points for Arizona — no player who played on Thursday night had more. Darrion Williams hit game-tying and game-winning shots in an overtime win for Texas Tech.

While each player had their respective shining moment on the first night of the Sweet 16, no star blazed brighter than Cooper Flagg, whose latest feat in a quickly-becoming-legendary freshman campaign for Duke was a 30-7-6-3 stat line that helped send the Blue Devils into the Elite Eight.

No player in NCAA tournament history has ever had a game like Flagg just did.

"That was one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of," Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said after the Blue Devils' 100-93 win over Arizona. "He was in his element tonight. He was him. He had just a great personality. He was loose, talking, competitive, the whole thing."

While it is commonly accepted that Flagg is the best player in college basketball, there were myriad moments Thursday that showed exactly why there's just as much focus on the top of the NBA as there is on the sweepstakes that's taking place at the bottom of the Association.

There was the buzzer-beating 3 that sent Duke into the locker room at halftime with a cushion and momentum that carried over into the second half, helping the Blue Devils build a 19-point lead.

There was Flagg — all 6-foot-9 of him — bringing it up the court seemingly every possession, showing the versatility to take Arizona guard KJ Lewis off the dribble or lob a picture-perfect, alley-oop pass over the outstretched arms of 7-foot center Henri Veesaar ... twice.

There was veteran poise in huddling his teammates with 10:35 left to play and reminding them “we’ve got six fouls” as Duke approached the bonus. There were a game-high eight fouls drawn — a crucial component to his complete effort and Duke's victory.

There was defense, passing and clutch shooting across more than 36 minutes of basketball — if being in the right place at the right time was a superpower, Marvel would have had a Cooper Flagg chair in its "Avengers: Doomsday" cast reveal video earlier this week.

And make no mistake, Duke needed every ounce of it to advance to the regional final for the second season in a row.

“A ton of respect for Tommy Lloyd, his team, Arizona, their program,” Scheyer said. “I thought they were incredible tonight. I thought our guys made some big-time winning plays. A lot of game pressure. They just wouldn't go away, even with a 19-point lead. No lead really felt safe with them. I thought our guys hit some clutch free throws, made just enough plays.”

For Flagg, who nonchalantly appears to be reaching the peak of his powers at the most opportune time, it was almost like he was Ice Cube in 1993, messing around and nearly dropping a triple-double. (For the record, that song came out 13 years before Flagg was born).

“I think [credit is due to] just playing with really good energy, trusting our gameplan, trusting my teammates. They put me in some really good spots tonight. Coach, as well, put me in some really good spots. I think just making the right play and just letting the game happen.”

But for as easy as things have seemed at times for the tournament favorites and their freshman phenom, there was adversity as Arizona refused to relent. As a 19-point lead whittled to nine, then to seven, then ultimately to five, Flagg continued to lead by example, combining with fellow freshman Kon Knueppel to hit nine of Duke’s 11 free throws to help seal the game.

Duke didn’t make a field goal for the final 4:16.

“I thought our guys showed that poise,” Scheyer said. “I think they showed that togetherness. They're not afraid. You hope to recruit that, but until they get here, you don't fully know. I have a bunch of guys, man, they're killers. They're fearless, and they sure weren't afraid of this moment.”

What makes performances like Thursday’s so special — regardless of fandom — is the recognition that Flagg’s time at Duke is limited. Whether it’s Saturday against Alabama or sometime next weekend in San Antonio, Flagg will move on to bigger and brighter lights.

But no matter the stage, Flagg rises to the occasion.

“He just did what he was supposed to do, and he'll move on and get ready for Alabama,” Scheyer said. “I think that's the beauty of it with him. He doesn't get caught up in all that.

“He impresses me all the time. But we need more of that on Saturday.”