Success Is In Duke’s DNA

Precocious freshman Cooper Flagg and third-year coach Jon Scheyer enter the NCAA tournament with history to chase as the No. 1 seed in East Regional, but it comes with the territory at Duke.

Flagg, who with Auburn’s Johni Broome are the only real candidates for the John Wooden Award, is following treading the same ground as such Blue Devil legends as Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, Johnny Dawkins, Shane Battier and Bobby Hurley.

Laettner, Hill and Hurley won consecutive national titles in 1991-92. Battier and Jay Williams won the title in 2001 and Scheyer was the leading scorer on the 2010 championship team, the fourth of Mike Krzyzewski’s quintet.

The only question surrounding Flagg is his availability for Duke’s first-round game Friday against Tuesday play-in winner Mount Saint Mary’s, although he seems to be trending in the right direction.

Flagg suffered a left ankle injury early in Duke’s quarterfinal victory over Georgia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and did not play in victories over North Carolina or Louisville.

Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel picked up the slack, scoring 63 points in the three ACC tournament games.

If NBA scouts are correct, Flagg will not be around to attempt even a two-peat should the Blue Devils win their first for Scheyer. Flagg is projected to be the first pick in the 2025 NBA draft this summer, and Duke is likely to lose others.

Knueppel and 7-2 center Khaman Maluach are also likely NBA first-round picks, so Scheyer’s task as he finishes his third season is to maximize production of this group of one-and-dones before the next crop arrives. Top prep talent and program legacy Cameron Boozer already has committed for the 2025-26 season.

“I want our guys to block out as much as we can,” Scheyer said. “Obviously the tournament is talked about so much. It’s so fragile, and you want to make the most of each moment and really stay locked in the present. Also to enjoy it. You don’t get this time back.”

Duke, the No. 2 national seed, has sparkling resumé. The Blue Devils are No. 1 in the KenPom adjusted efficiency margin, third in offensive efficiency and fourth in defensive efficiency.

Flagg leads the team in scoring (18.9 points pre game), rebounding (7.5 per) and assists (4.1). Knueppel is averaging 14.4 points per game and paint-clogger Maluach is shooting 69.3 percent from the field.

The Blue Devils will have the benefit of geography. Their Durham campus is 25 miles northwest of host site Raleigh.

Other Top East Regional Seeds

Alabama is the No. 2 seed, Wisconsin is No. 3 and Arizona is No. 4, and all were sent to different sites for their first-round game.

Alabama will open in Cleveland, Wisconsin in Denver and Arizona in Seattle. Wisconsin fans were disappointed that the Badgers were not placed in Milwaukee instead of one of the other No. 3 seeds, Iowa State and Kentucky, who will play there.

A potential SEC match looms in the second round if Alabama and Vanderbilt advance. The Crimson Tide had one of its 10 100-point games in 103-87 victory over Commodores two months ago.

Players To Watch

Cooper Flagg, 6-9, Duke

Flagg seemed to play his best against the best – 26 points and 11 rebounds against Kentucky, 22/11 against Auburn and 20/12 against Louisville, all NCAA tournament teams. He had a season-high 42 points and tied a season-high with seven assists against Notre Dame.

John Tonje, 6-4, Wisconsin

A sixth-year senior, Tonje broke out in his first year the Badgers. He averaged 19.2 points a game and became the focus of every opposing defense while landing on the Big Ten all-conference first team.

Norchad Omier, 6-7, Baylor

Omier, a transfer from Miami (Fla.) averaged a double-double with 15.9 points and 10.9 rebound. He led the Big 12 in rebounding and hit the offense glass hard, 4.0 per game. He shoots 56.7 percent from the field.

Mark Sears, 6-1 Alabama

Point guard and team leader Sears was an all-SEC first team choice after 18.7 points and 4.9 assists. He will look to rebound from a mini-slump in which he was 11 of 36 from the floor the last three games, 2 of 16 on threes.

East Regional Schedule

^{(Games in Cleveland, Denver, Seattle, Raleigh, N.C.)}

First/Second Round (all times ET)

March 20

No. 3 Wisconsin vs No. 14 Montana, Denver, 1:30, TNT

No. 6 BYU vs No. 11 VCU, Denver, 4:05 pm, TNT

March 21

No. 2 Alabama vs No. 15 Robert Morris, Cleveland, 12:40, truTV

No. 9 Baylor vs No. 8 Mississippi State, Raleigh, 12:15, CBS

No. 1 Duke vs No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, Raleigh, 2:50, CBS

No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs No. 10 Vanderbilt, Cleveland, 3:15, truTV

No. 4 Arizona vs Akron, Seattle, 7:35, truTV

No. 5 Oregon vs Liberty, Seattle, 10:10, truTV

March 22

Wisconsin/Montana winner vs BYU/VCU winner

March 23

Alabama/Robert Morris winner vs Saint Marys’/Vanderbilt winner

Duke/American winner vs Baylor/Mississippi State winner

Arizona/Akron winner vs Oregon/Liberty winner

Sweet Sixteen

^{(Games in Newardk, N.J.)}

March 27

Regional Finals

March 29