Cooper Flagg and Duke cruise to win, hand Illinois largest defeat in program history

John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden in front of 19,812 and a couple million people on network TV, the Duke Blue Devils showed the country why they have the pieces to cut down the nets for the first time since 2015 this April in San Antonio.

The Blue Devils didn’t just beat Illinois Saturday night in the SentinelOne Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Devils dominated from start to finish, rolling to a 110-67 blowout win over the Illini, marking the largest margin of defeat for Illinois in program history.

While Cooper Flagg – the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft – took the headlines heading into the night, the Blue Devils showed just how well-rounded they are, shooting 16-of-27 from the floor in the first half and getting contributions across the roster. Yes, Flagg ended up with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists while dazzling the crowd with a couple of nasty dunks, but this Duke team is more than just a couple of future pros. In his third year at the helm, Jon Scheyer is showing why he was a seamless fit when taking over for Mike Krzyzewski.

We saw it when Sion James – who had only hit multiple 3s in a game three times this season – drilled two treys in the opening three minutes. We saw it with Tyrese Proctor and Isaiah Evans combining for 20 points and driving right through the Illinois defense. We saw it from Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, who will hear their names called early on draft night as well this June.

And on the other end of the floor, the Blue Devils swarmed the Illini defensively, holding them to 2-for-26 from 3-point range. Brad Underwood’s team entered the evening averaging 9.4 triples per game. Yes, the Illini missed some open looks along the way, but for Duke to dominate a Big Ten team physically in the fashion they did on Saturday night made for a resounding statement that should put the rest of college basketball on notice.

The Blue Devils have an answer to every single question, including whether a weak ACC has been propping them up after some early defeats to Kentucky and Kansas. The answer is that Scheyer’s team has evolved since November and has the goods to win a national championship.

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

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