Duke edged out Auburn in an epic battle at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 4, handing Bruce Pearl’s second-ranked Tigers their first loss of the 2024-25 season.
Projected No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg led the Blue Devils with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. He also displayed his defensive dominance with three steals and a pair of blocks.
After his team’s 84-78, Pearl talked about Flagg and his superstar performance.
“Cooper Flagg, I think this was one of his better games tonight,” Pearl said. “He didn’t have a turnover, so we didn’t bother him enough. He lived at the foul line. He gets a great whistle, he’s a great player. We’ve got good players too.”
Pearl credited his team for playing well offensively, pointing to the Tigers’ defense as the main culprit of the loss.
Auburn star Johni Broome also put his greatness on display
Flagg’s impressive outing came against fellow star big man Johni Broome. Broome is a strong contender for the Naismith College Player of the Year award, and he showed flashes of it with a 20-point, 12-rebound effort.
While Broome didn’t shoot the ball as efficiently as usual, he still made his presence felt as one of two Auburn players with a team-high 20 points. Pearl praised Broome after the contest, giving him his flowers for the campaign he has put together so far.
“One of the reasons our team has played so well this year is that Johni has been a tremendously consistent player,” Pearl said. “He’s clearly a Player of the Year candidate. If our team continues to win, he’s our best player. He’s been really, really consistent. And he’s able to do it on both ends, inside and out.”
No longer undefeated, the Tigers will look to bounce back in an upcoming six-game homestand where they will host just one ranked opponent.
And despite the loss, Auburn should still be viewed as one of the favorites to be the last team standing in March.
