Duke (18-2) is on a roll, boasting the longest active winning streak in the nation with 14 straight victories. Their next challenge? The 263rd edition of the storied rivalry against North Carolina, with the Tar Heels leading the all-time series 145-117. This matchup, which will take place at Cameron Indoor Stadium, is already generating buzz – not just because of Duke’s dominance, but because of freshman sensation Cooper Flagg. The 18-year-old phenom, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, will make his rivalry debut, adding another layer of intrigue to an already electric atmosphere.
Flagg has been nearly unstoppable this season, leading Duke in points (398), rebounds (159), assists (82), steals (29) and blocks (24). He ranks in the ACC’s top 10 in scoring (2nd), rebounding (6th), assists (7th) and blocks (8th), making him one of the most complete players in college basketball. Just three weeks ago, he set a Duke freshman scoring record with 42 points, surpassing Zion Williamson’s previous mark. Despite his dominance, former North Carolina stars Raymond Felton and Theo Pinson believe they’ve found a way to slow him down.
Ex-Tar Heels on Flagg’s Weakness
On the To The Baha podcast, Felton and Pinson discussed how UNC should defend Flagg, suggesting a 1-2-2 zone to force Duke into uncomfortable situations. “I still don’t think Cooper and some of the other guys over there are great shooters,” Felton said. “Can he shoot? Yeah. But when he gets hot, it’s going to be a long night.” Pinson echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how much Duke’s offense runs through Flagg: “They run through Cooper a lot. It’s like almost every play is through Cooper.” Given Flagg’s impact on both ends of the floor, UNC’s ability to disrupt his rhythm could be key to pulling off an upset.
Historically, Duke’s top freshmen have had mixed experiences in their first matchup against UNC. Paolo Banchero had a solid performance in 2022, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a win. Zion Williamson’s first meeting was cut short by his infamous shoe explosion, but in his full rivalry debut during the ACC Tournament, he dominated with 31 points on 13-for-19 shooting. Flagg’s first test against North Carolina will determine if he follows in their footsteps or if UNC’s defensive adjustments can expose a weakness.
The reality is that this season all teams plan their defense against Duke based on what Flagg does, the truth is that it looks very complicated for North Carolina to win this game, the bookmakers have the Blue Devils as favorites (-14), if you bet 20 dollars on Duke moneyline and over 23.5 points from Cooper Flagg at Bet365 would be a payout of 40 bucks, seems good.