Cooper Flagg talks Duke basketball, joining Jon Scheyer and Blue Devils
Duke freshman Cooper Flagg had his first press conference with the Blue Devils during the program’s annual media day at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke basketball is playing at SMU for the first time in 47 years.
The fourth-ranked Blue Devils (11-2, 3-0 ACC) will ride a seven-game winning streak into Dallas on Saturday (2:15 p.m., CW Network) for their first road game of 2025. Duke will try to win its first four ACC road games for the first time since 2020.
The Mustangs (11-2, 2-0) have lost three of four games against Duke, but the programs haven’t played since the 1988 NCAA Tournament. The Devils earned a 24-point victory at SMU in 1977.
Here are some other things to know and a score prediction for Duke at SMU.
Cooper Flagg joins Duke basketball club that includes Zion Williamson
With more than 200 points and 100 rebounds through 13 games, Cooper Flagg is the sixth Blue Devil in program history to accomplish that feat. Three of those players — Jahlil Okafor, Marvin Bagley and Zion Williamson — went on to be named ACC Player of the Year. Flagg had 24 points, six assists, four steals and three rebounds against Virginia Tech on New Year’s Eve. Look for more of the same against an SMU defense that is 94th in efficiency, according to KenPom.com.
Duke basketball defense vs Boopie Miller, SMU offense
SMU is 13th nationally in scoring offense, leading the ACC with an average of 87.2 points per game. The Mustangs will face their tallest task of the season to this point against the Blue Devils, who are limiting opponents to 59 points per game. Auburn, Kansas and Kentucky are the only teams so far to reach 70 points against Duke.
At 15.4 points and 5.9 assists per game, Wake Forest transfer Boopie Miller has paced the Mustangs’ offense. Miller, who averaged 21 points and seven assists in the last two games, had 15 points and five assists in the Demon Deacons’ win against Duke last season.
Sion James, Duke defensive rebounding against SMU
Duke has outrebounded 10 of its 13 opponents and is 30th nationally in rebounding margin, but the Blue Devils are 53rd in defensive rebounding percentage. SMU has outrebounded 11 of its 13 opponents and is 20th nationally in rebounding margin, with the ninth-best offensive rebounding percentage in the country. The Devils will need to consistently clean up the glass to better their chances of earning another road win. Veteran guard Sion James, who has pulled down at least five rebounds in three of the last four games, seems like a good candidate to aid that effort. James had a season-high 11 boards against Virginia Tech.
Duke vs SMU score prediction
Duke 80, SMU 72: The Blue Devils continue to prove they’re the class of the conference, winning each of their first three ACC games by double digits, including two by an average margin of nearly 25 points. This one will be closer, but SMU has yet to face a challenge like the one it’ll see Saturday.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.
