illinois vs duke

Flagg scores 16 in MSG debut and No. 3 Duke romps to 110-67 blowout of Illinois

Joel Berry II reacts to Duke’s 43-point win over Illinois at Madison Square Garden.

NEW YORK — — Cooper Flagg had 16 points in his Madison Square Garden debut and seven players scored in double figures for No. 3 Duke in a 110-67 blowout of Illinois on Saturday night.

Isaiah Evans paced the Blue Devils (24-3) with 17 points off the bench, and Kon Knueppel added 15. Duke built a 23-point lead in the first half and was never threatened while setting a season scoring high.

Flagg, the freshman expected to be the top pick in this year’s NBA draft, added seven rebounds and five assists in 23 1/2 minutes. But the Blue Devils didn’t even need his best on this night.

Tre White had 16 points for Illinois (17-11) in a nonconference matchup between programs that lost in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last year. Kasparas Jakucionis scored 14.

Takeaways

Illinois: Hampered recently by illnesses and an injury to forward Morez Johnson Jr., the Fighting Illini have faded following a 12-3 start. They’ve lost three straight — all by at least 14 points to teams ranked in the top 11 at the time.

Duke: Eyeing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils boast one of the nation’s stingiest defenses. They delivered an outstanding performance on that end of the floor in their first game since defensive stopper Maliq Brown dislocated his left shoulder in Monday’s win at Virginia.

Key moment

After getting whistled for two fouls in the first 11:18 of a quiet first half, Flagg opened the second period with a fast-break dunk. He added another jam minutes later and gave the Duke throng in a soldout crowd of 19,812 what it came to see.

Key stat

Illinois missed its first 17 attempts from 3-point range and finished 2 for 26 from beyond the arc.

Up next

Illinois: Will resume Big Ten play at home Tuesday night against Iowa.

Duke: Visit Miami on Tuesday night.

——

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Duke Blue Devils

Illinois Fighting Illini

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Game Information

2024-25 Atlantic Coast Conference Standings

2024-25 Big Ten Conference Standings

Men’s College Basketball News

	1	2	T
DUKE	54	56	110
ILL	37	30	67

Team	CONF	GB	OVR
Duke	15-1	–	24-3
Clemson	14-2	1	22-5
Louisville	14-2	1	21-6
SMU	11-5	4	20-7
Wake Forest	11-5	4	19-8
North Carolina	10-6	5	17-11
Stanford	8-7	6.5	16-10
Florida State	7-9	8	16-11
Pittsburgh	7-9	8	16-11
Georgia Tech	7-9	8	13-14
Virginia Tech	7-9	8	12-15
Virginia	6-10	9	13-14
Notre Dame	6-10	9	12-15
California	5-10	9.5	12-14
Syracuse	5-11	10	11-16
Boston College	4-12	11	12-15
NC State	4-12	11	11-16
Miami	2-14	13	6-21

Team	CONF	GB	OVR
Michigan State	13-3	–	22-5
Michigan	12-3	0.5	20-6
Maryland	11-5	2	21-6
Wisconsin	11-5	2	21-6
Purdue	11-5	2	19-8
UCLA	10-6	3	19-8
Oregon	9-8	4.5	20-8
Illinois	9-8	4.5	17-11
Nebraska	7-9	6	17-10
Ohio State	7-9	6	15-12
Indiana	6-9	6.5	15-11
USC	6-9	6.5	14-12
Iowa	6-10	7	15-12
Minnesota	6-10	7	14-13
Rutgers	6-10	7	13-14
Northwestern	5-11	8	14-13
Penn State	5-12	8.5	15-13
Washington	4-12	9	13-14

Elite, fearless, generational: Cooper Flagg ready to shine at Madison Square Garden

When you walk through the hallways of Madison Square Garden, there are pictures of Muhammad Ali, Patrick Ewing, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and countless other icons in sports and entertainment.

On Saturday night, Cooper Flagg will step into the aura of MSG and get the opportunity to make his mark. The future first overall pick in this June’s NBA Draft leads his No. 3-ranked Duke Blue Devils into the SentinelOne Classic against Illinois at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Blue Devils, who are 23-3 on the year and have lost just once since Nov. 26, 2024, were guided by Flagg’s 17 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals earlier this week in an 80-62 win at Virginia. That’s par for the course for the 6-foot-9 Flagg, who’s now averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. No freshman in college basketball history has led his team in every major statistical category and played in the NCAA Tournament. Flagg is tracking to do exactly that and could end up doing much more than just appearing on the Big Dance floor.

To stuff the stat sheet like that while shooting 49% from the floor and 37% from downtown means that whichever team possesses the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft is getting a player who is the total package. The fact that Flagg is only 18 years old and was supposed to be a member of next year’s freshman class makes what he’s doing that much more eye-popping.

“I just think he’s a lock to be an elite No. 2 option in the NBA with upside for him to be a No. 1,” one NBA scout told FOX Sports. “With Cooper, it feels like a guarantee that he will contribute to a winning team in the NBA.”

What makes Flagg outstanding is his feel and instincts for the game, along with his ability to make so many winning plays on both ends of the floor. He makes the extraordinary look much more ordinary than it should. With a wingspan of over 7 feet, he has the ability to explode to the basket on the offensive end and alter shots on the defensive end. He’s the most gifted defensive prospect we’ve seen at the top of the draft in several years and should join Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson as the only freshmen to win National Player of the Year honors.

[Read more: What are the 10 best men’s college basketball seasons by a freshman?]

The growth of Flagg’s game as a scorer and playmaker has been special to watch, but equally important is his maturity and unselfishness. After playing with USA Basketball in training camp as a member of the Select Team ahead of the Paris Olympics this past summer, the spotlight was never brighter on Flagg. He handled it with ease, and the pros noticed.

“To be able to do what he did, not even playing a college game, let alone an NBA game, there’s no fear,” Select Team forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat said. “It’s relentless, and the thing that you can tell about him is that he just has a knack and the will to win. He doesn’t need the ball. He just finds a way to it. And the ball finds its way to him. That’s something that you can’t teach. He’s just got a great feel for the game.”

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer doubled down on Jaquez’s comments, emphasizing Flagg’s ability to lead and always pick his teammates up.

“The most impressive thing to me is the fact that he’s the same way every day,” Scheyer told The Field of 68 earlier this week. “His approach. He’s competitive. He has energy. He’s as loud as anybody in the gym. It just picks everything up.

“Lots of times as a coach, you’re talking about the energy of a practice or [saying], ‘We need to pick it up.’ That hasn’t happened this year. Cooper’s not the only reason, but being the best player, he’s a huge reason why that’s the case. He just has a unique feel for how to pick others up and rise to the occasion. He’s done an incredible job doing both of those things.”

It will be fascinating to see Flagg under the bright lights on Saturday against an Illinois team that has hit a roadblock in its season, dropping back-to-back games and now sitting at 9-8 in the Big Ten. As much as this game looks like tough timing for the Fighting Illini, perhaps it’s the type of stage that Brad Underwood’s team needs to get out of their funk.

What makes this matchup so intriguing is that there’s another top-five draft prospect playing in Kasparas Jakucionis, the 6-foot-6 guard from Lithuania who’s averaging 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. His creativity and length as a versatile guard has made him a riser in this draft class. The Garden will see a season-high number of scouts on Saturday.

[Read more: 2025 NBA Draft No. 1 pick odds: Dyland Harper gaining ground on Cooper Flagg]

Beyond basketball, Flagg’s story is something that goes beyond the norm for a top prospect. It’s well-documented, but I don’t think the fact that he’s from Newport, Maine can be overstated. The small-town story and humble beginnings of the son of a Maine great, his mom Kelly, along with his father Ralph, who played at Eastern Maine Community College, give him this added dimension of being relatable. His twin brother Ace is off to Maine.

The reason why there was a Maine United team at the 2023 Peach Jam — a legendary Nike EYBL tournament held in Georgia — and the only reason why there ever will be is Flagg, who set the gym in Atlanta on fire with his play.

With a shoe deal with New Balance, an underdog brand in the normally Nike-driven world of basketball sneakers, Flagg showed the world that he was carving his own path.

Alongside Tyrese Proctor and fellow freshman Kon Knueppel, Flagg and the Blue Devils have a real chance to show the world this April in San Antonio that Duke is back on top and that 37-year-old Jon Scheyer was in fact the perfect fit to take over for Mike Krzyzewski.

[Read more: Duke’s new king: Jon Scheyer’s journey to one of basketball’s biggest jobs]

For now, it’s the bright lights of MSG on Saturday night.

“He’s generational,” Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes said earlier this year when describing Flagg. “I’ve coached against some great players in my career. He’d be one of them. I’ve got a list of Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose or Kawhi Leonard. Flagg is on that level.”

One NBA scout said it best when I asked what we should expect on Saturday: “Cooper Flagg lives for the moment. Have your popcorn ready.”

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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Quick hits: No. 3 Duke demolishes Illini 110-67 at MSG for worst loss in UI program history

NEW YORK CITY — Brad Underwood scheduled Saturday’s game against Duke to be a marquee Madison Square Garden matchup to prepare for March Madness. But only one team lived up to the showcase billing as No. 3 Duke routed Illinois 110-67 at the Mecca of Basketball.

The 43-point loss was not only the worst for the Illini during Underwood’s eight-year tenure but the worst loss in program history, topping a 40-point loss to Indiana in 1974.

Illinois (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) has now lost its last two games to No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 3 Duke by a combined 64 points.

The Illini missed their first 17 three-point attempts, never led and trailed by double digits for the final 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Duke shot 56%, made 12 of 23 from three and scored 27 second-chance points and 20 points off turnovers.

Tre White led Illinois with 16 points and five rebounds. Kasparas Jakucionis added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Kylan Boswell had 12 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Isaiah Evans led seven Duke players in double figures with 17 points. Projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Blue Devils (24-3, 15-1 ACC), and projected lottery picks Kon Knueppel (15 points) and Khaman Maluach (13 points, seven rebounds) also added double figures, along with Sion James (11 points) and Caleb Foster (12 points).

Illinois missed all 16 of its three-point attempts in the first half but shot 15-for-18 from two. But Duke shot 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and had 14 second-chance points in the first half. The Blue Devils led by as many as 23 on their way to scoring a season-high 54 points in a half to take a 54-37 lead at the break.

Duke went on a 9-0 run to start the second-half, sparked by two Flagg dunks. Illini fans gave a Bronx cheer when Tomislav Ivisic finally made the team’s first 3-pointer in the 24th minute of the game, ending a streak of 17 consecutive misses. But Duke further dominated Illinois with a 12-0 run to take a 75-42 lead before eventually extending the lead to 40 with about six minutes left.

What it means: Brad Underwood said he built this roster to better compete with the marquee teams in college basketball, like the 2024 UConn national title team that ran his group off the floor last March in the Elite Eight. But against a similarly talented team, Underwood’s team received another UConn-like beatdown. Just a brutal showing on the big stage.

Illinois in December and January started to look like a team that could do damage, but the Illini are limping to the finish and look like a team that has lost its confidence and its chemistry following bouts of injury and illness. Most think the Illini have too many good wins to slip out of the Big Dance, though they certainly aren’t passing the eye test right now. Illinois has 12 losses of 20+ points in the Underwood era, and two of them came this week. Does this team have a response in them before the postseason begins?

Star of the game: Kudos to Kylan Boswell for a heck of an effort guarding projecting No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who had just six points on 1-for-4 shooting in the first half. But the National Player of the Year candidate eventually got his, dominating in the second half. Also, Kon Kneuppel was fantastic for Duke. The sharpshooter used physicality and aggression to get to the rim

Stats of the game

Don’t overlook: Illinois sorely misses Morez Johnson Jr., who is out indefinitely with a broken wrist. While Duke’s frontcourt is as fearsome as any in the country, the Illini frontcourt put up little fight without the physical freshman. Tomislav Ivisic and Ben Humrichous combined for just four rebounds in a combined 54 minutes, and Ivisic. Humrichous continues to be hot-and-cold as a shooter, while Ivisic looks like he’s lost confidence after bouts with illness and injury. While Iowa doesn’t pose much of an interior threat, the interior tests don’t get much easier after that with Michigan and Purdue to wrap up the regular season.

What’s next: Illinois hosts Iowa for an 8 p.m. CT tipoff on Tuesday at State Farm Center. The Hawkeyes (15-12, 6-10 Big Ten) are trying to hold on to a spot in the Big Ten Tournament and got a big 85-79 home win over Washington on Saturday. But Iowa has lost 8 of its last 11 and is struggling after center Owen Freeman suffered a season-ending hand injury. Payton Sandfort (16.3 points) and Josh Dix (14.2 points) lead Iowa, which is No. 5 during Big Ten in offensive efficiency and No. 18 in the conference in defensive efficiency. Illinois has won seven of its last eight against Iowa, including four straight in Champaign.

Do you know who may be starting to get on NFL radars outside of the obvious guys (mainly Jacas, Davis, X Scott)? With returning so many starters I was just curious on if you’ve heard any feedback on which guys might be developing as possible pro prospects down the road.

Bielema submitted the names of QB Luke Altmyer, OL Melvin Priestly and TE Tanner Arkin to be evaluated by the NFL this offseason, so those are guys to watch. Bielema is talking about Arkin the way he did about Tip Reiman, so that is notable. Priestly has NFL power and athleticism, but he’s a guard prospect at that level. He just needs to be more disciplined and consistent.

Wisconsin transfer James Thompson Jr. entered last season as an NFL prospect before his injury, so he is one to watch as well. The Illini staff is very high on him.

But one guy who shouldn’t be overlooked is Matthew Bailey. While I don’t know if the redshirt junior would test through the roof athleticially, he is a heck of a football player with great size, production and intangibles. Bailey had a big end to last season and I think he can be a stud this year.

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Each of the top 25 teams ahead of the 2025 college football season made splashes on the recruiting trail, but not every class is created equal. Some schools, like Texas Tech and Indiana, did their greatest damage in the transfer portal with two of the best hauls in the nation. Meanwhile, the more traditional powers cleaned up in the high school ranks. Texas, for one, secured the No. 1 class in the sport for the first time in school history and is on track to enter the season as the national championship favorite.

With high-end success on the field generally comes key recruiting victories, and vice versa. It is no surprise that the teams inside the early preseason top 25 rankings piled up the best recruiting classes in the sport.

Elite transfers like Isaiah World and five-star incoming freshmen including Bryce Underwood — both ranked No. 1 in their respective classes — headline the best players joining the best teams in college football.

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Below is the highest-rated newcomer joining every top-25 college football team.

25. Oklahoma Sooners: OT Michael Fasusi (98 Rating) — The help Oklahoma desperately needs on the offensive line is near. Stepping into the SEC trenches as a true freshman is a tall task, but the top-ranked tackle in the 2025 class should be up to it.

24. Illinois Fighting Illini: DL James Thompson Jr. (92) — Thompson returns from a season-long absence due to injury as a veteran Big Ten starter. The transfer from Wisconsin fills a position of need at Illinois after a pair of defensive line starters departed from the Fighting Illini roster.

23. Indiana Hoosiers: QB Fernando Mendoza (93) — Mendoza was a surprise standout at California over the last two seasons and emerged as the No. 3 quarterback in the 2025 transfer cycle. The Hoosiers could again have a top-five offense with him under center.

22. Texas Tech Red Raiders: OT Howard Sampson (94) — Texas Tech reportedly spent over $10 million in NIL money on its Big 12-best transfer haul, and Sampson should be well worth the price tag. He is the new headliner of the Red Raiders’ class after a rating bump.

21. Nebraska Cornhuskers: LB Dawson Merritt (95) — Merritt flipped his commitment from Alabama to Nebraska ahead of the Early Signing Period. That is a major recruiting win for Matt Rhule.

20. Auburn Tigers: DL Malik Autry (98) — Hugh Freeze went all-in on the trail ahead of a critical 2025 season and brought in instant-impact talent on both sides of the ball via the portal and high school ranks. Autry is the five-star headliner and will compete for a job straight away.

19. Ole Miss Rebels: WR Caleb Cunningham (96) — The Rebels are still a portal-heavy recruiting operation, but Lane Kiffin also complemented his transfer class with a handful of blue-chip prospects from the high school ranks. Cunningham is chief among them.

18. Iowa State Cyclones: WR Chase Sowell (93) — Sowell is a critical addition to an Iowa State roster that lost both of its 1,000-yard receivers from last season. He makes his Power Four debut after back-to-back strong years at East Carolina.

17. Kansas State Wildcats: TE Linkon Cure (98) — Cure will play his college football close to home as an in-state prospect from Goodland (Kansas). Oregon made a push at the buzzer, but the No. 1 tight end in the 2025 class honored his initial commitment to the Wildcats.

16. Michigan Wolverines: QB Bryce Underwood (100) — Underwood became the No. 2-ranked signee in Michigan history when he flipped from LSU, and the top player in the class is the obvious choice to win the Wolverines’ quarterback job as a true freshman.

15. Arizona State Sun Devils: ATH Cameron Dyer (94) — Arizona State received a major blow as its top recruit will spend most of his freshman year in Tempe recovering from knee surgery. Dyer projects as a wide receiver but is set to get a look at quarterback, too.

14. Miami Hurricanes: EDGE Hayden Lowe (98) — New defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman inherited a star signee in Lowe when he took the Miami job. Lowe is part of the reason why Miami secured the ACC’s best recruiting class for a third-straight year.

13. Florida Gators: WR Vernell Brown III (97) — Brown skyrocketed up the recruiting rankings last spring, all the way to borderline five-star status. He is one of numerous weapons Florida acquired for DJ Lagway in what should be an exciting offense.

12. LSU Tigers: CB DJ Pickett (98) — Brian Kelly said that Pickett is “hands-down the best corner” in the 2025 class. He has all the tools needed to earn a starting job straight away and elevate a defense that needs to improve quickly.

11. South Carolina Gamecocks: EDGE Donovan Darden (94) — Darden transitioned from quarterback to edge rusher in high school and will be a depth piece in the South Carolina linebacking corps as a freshman. He became increasingly more comfortable on defense and bolted up the recruiting rankings.

10. SMU Mustangs: OT Dramodd Odoms (98) — Odoms is the highest-rated recruit ever to commit to SMU. The move to the Power Four level undoubtedly helped the Mustangs take their efforts on the trail to the next level.

9. Tennessee Volunteers: OT David Sanders Jr. (98) — The expectation was that Sanders would not sign on the first day of the Early Signing Period as Ohio State pushed to flip him from his Tennessee commitment. He cooled the drama, though, when he shut things down on Signing Day.

8. Alabama Crimson Tide: QB Keelon Russell (100) — Russell made a meteoric rise over the last calendar year from well outside the Top247 to the No. 2 spot in the recruiting class. He is the projected quarterback of the future for Alabama, but it remains to be seen whether he will earn the job as a freshman.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: OT Will Black (97) — Notre Dame saw a surprising offensive line exodus after its run to the national championship but backfilled its stacked group with the No. 37 overall recruit in Black.

6. Clemson Tigers: DL Amare Adams (98) — The Clemson defense is, on paper, set for a major step forward in 2025. That is even without Adams in the equation. His addition to the roster makes a loaded defensive front even better.

5. Oregon Ducks: OT Isaiah World (98) — World became the No. 1 overall player in the transfer portal with the latest ratings audit. The Nevada product has first-round upside as an immediate starter on Oregon’s offensive line.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions: OT Malachi Goodman (98) — 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins said Penn State boasts “the deepest offensive line in the country” after it added Goodman to the unit. Four starters return next season, so Goodman does not have an obvious path to the lineup, but he should be a stalwart in the trenches before too long.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes: QB Tavien St. Clair (100) — The embarrassment of riches in the Ohio State quarterback room continues. St. Clair joined the in-state program as the No. 4 overall player and No. 3 quarterback in the 2025 cycle. A redshirt season appears likely, though, as he waits his turn behind projected starter Julian Sayin.

2. Georgia Bulldogs: DL Elijah Griffin (100) — Griffin is the top defensive prospect in the recruiting class, so it only makes sense that he is Georgia-bound. Even after two disappointing seasons by the Bulldogs’ standards, they have as much talent on their roster as any program in the country, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Given the turnover on Georgia’s defensive interior, Griffin could have a role as a freshman.

1. Texas Longhorns: S Jonah Williams (99) — Texas clinched the No. 1 recruiting class for the first time in program history, and Williams leads the way as the top player in the haul. The local prospect is the highest-rated defensive back to commit to the Longhorns in the modern recruiting era.

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