GATECH

DUKE

No. 1 Duke beats Georgia Tech 78-70 after losing Flagg, Brown to injuries in ACC quarterfinals

AP
Mar 13, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Kon Knueppel scored 28 points as No. 1 Duke Blue Devils overcame injuries to star Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown to beat Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 78-70 on Thursday and advance to the ACC Tournament semifinals.

Isaiah Evans scored 14 points on four 3-pointers and Khaman Maluach added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Blue Devils (29-3), who have won nine straight.

Flagg appeared to land awkwardly on Baye Ndongo’s foot as he came down with a rebound late in the first half. The ACC player of the year retreated to the Duke bench and punched a seat in frustration. After being helped to the locker room, Flagg returned to the Duke bench in the second half without a boot on his foot. He did not return to the game.

Brown went down with a shoulder injury in the first half.

Duncan Powell led Georgia Tech (17-16) with 24 points.

Duke missed its first 13 shots from beyond the arc and fell behind 26-12, matching the season's largest deficit. They trailed 26-17 when Flagg left the game, but cut the lead to five at halftime. Duke pushed its lead to seven early in the second half when Tyrese Proctor stole a pass and delivered a high-flying one-handed dunk in transition.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets bench was outscored 21-6.

Duke: The Blue Devils showed they have some firepower without Flagg and Brown on the court. After missing its first 13 3s, Duke went 7 of 17 the rest of the way.

Knueppel drove, scored and drew a foul for a 3-point play with about five minutes left in the game to put Duke up by 11.

Georgia Tech was outscored 28-12 to start the second half.

Georgia Tech can hope for an NIT bid. Duke will face the North Carolina, a 68-59 winner over Wake Forest, on Friday.

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1st Half
GT
Yellow Jackets
31
DUKE
Blue Devils
26

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Baye Ndongo vs. Khaman Maluach (Sion James gains possession)
19:46		Khaman Maluach misses two point alley-oop dunk
19:44		Khaman Maluach offensive rebound
19:36		Tyrese Proctor misses three point jump shot
19:34		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
19:16	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup	2-0
18:58		Sion James misses three point jump shot
18:56		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
18:34		Khaman Maluach blocks Baye Ndongo's two point layup
18:32		Duncan Powell offensive rebound
18:27		Duncan Powell turnover (traveling)
18:19	+2	Kon Knueppel makes two point layup	2-2
17:56		Khaman Maluach blocks Duncan Powell's two point layup
17:54		Yellow Jackets offensive rebound
17:44		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
17:42		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
17:24		Kon Knueppel personal foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul)
17:22		Naithan George turnover (bad pass) (Cooper Flagg steals)
17:12		Tyrese Proctor misses three point jump shot
17:10		Khaman Maluach offensive rebound
17:01	+2	Kon Knueppel makes two point layup	2-4
16:36	+3	Duncan Powell makes three point jump shot (Jaeden Mustaf assists)	5-4
16:25		Kon Knueppel turnover (lost ball) (Jaeden Mustaf steals)
16:18		Naithan George misses two point jump shot
16:16		Cooper Flagg defensive rebound
16:06		Cooper Flagg misses three point jump shot
16:04		Tyrese Proctor offensive rebound
15:59		Cooper Flagg misses three point jump shot
15:57		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
15:50		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
15:48		Cooper Flagg defensive rebound
15:42	+2	Tyrese Proctor makes two point layup	5-6
15:17	+2	Naithan George makes two point jump shot	7-6
14:58		Tyrese Proctor misses three point jump shot
14:56		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
14:36	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup (Naithan George assists)	9-6
14:36		Khaman Maluach shooting foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul)
14:36		TV timeout
14:36	+1	Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 1 of 1	10-6
14:18	+2	Cooper Flagg makes two point layup	10-8
13:53	+3	Duncan Powell makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	13-8
13:21		Cooper Flagg misses two point jump shot
13:19		Darrion Sutton defensive rebound
13:12		Naithan George turnover (bad pass) (Cooper Flagg steals)
13:11		Ibrahim Souare personal foul (Cooper Flagg draws the foul)
12:51		Isaiah Evans misses three point jump shot
12:49		Naithan George defensive rebound
12:31		Lance Terry turnover (traveling)
12:14		Caleb Foster misses three point jump shot
12:12		Darrion Sutton defensive rebound
11:47	+3	Duncan Powell makes three point jump shot (Baye Ndongo assists)	16-8
11:29		Naithan George personal foul (Caleb Foster draws the foul)
11:29		TV timeout
11:18		Cooper Flagg misses two point hook shot
11:16		Darrion Sutton defensive rebound
10:52	+3	Darrion Sutton makes three point jump shot (Baye Ndongo assists)	19-8
10:33		Sion James misses three point jump shot
10:31		Naithan George defensive rebound
10:16		Lance Terry misses two point hook shot
10:14		Khaman Maluach defensive rebound
10:07	+2	Sion James makes two point jump shot	19-10
9:42		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
9:40		Cooper Flagg defensive rebound
9:37		Baye Ndongo personal foul (Tyrese Proctor draws the foul)
9:24	+2	Khaman Maluach makes two point hook shot (Kon Knueppel assists)	19-12
9:05		Baye Ndongo turnover (bad pass) (Mason Gillis steals)
9:02		Lance Terry personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
8:49		Tyrese Proctor turnover (lost ball) (Naithan George steals)
8:43	+2	Lance Terry makes two point dunk (Baye Ndongo assists)	21-12
8:27		Kon Knueppel misses three point jump shot
8:25		Khaman Maluach offensive rebound
8:21		Khaman Maluach turnover (bad pass)
8:00	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup (Duncan Powell assists)	23-12
7:44		Khaman Maluach turnover (bad pass) (Duncan Powell steals)
7:38		Khaman Maluach personal foul
7:38		TV timeout
7:12		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
7:10		Blue Devils defensive rebound
6:55		Baye Ndongo blocks Cooper Flagg's two point dunk
6:53		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
6:47		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
6:45		Duncan Powell offensive rebound
6:26		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
6:24		Mason Gillis defensive rebound
6:10		Kon Knueppel misses three point jump shot
6:08		Naithan George defensive rebound
5:55		Sion James shooting foul (Jaeden Mustaf draws the foul)
5:55		Jaeden Mustaf misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:55	+1	Jaeden Mustaf makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-12
5:40		Tyrese Proctor misses three point jump shot
5:38		Yellow Jackets defensive rebound
5:09		Naithan George misses two point layup
5:07		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
5:03	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup	26-12
4:58		Official timeout
4:34		Cooper Flagg misses three point jump shot
4:32		Lance Terry defensive rebound
4:04		Jaeden Mustaf misses two point jump shot
4:02		Patrick Ngongba II defensive rebound
3:56		Jaeden Mustaf personal foul (Cooper Flagg draws the foul)
3:56		TV timeout
3:43	+2	Kon Knueppel makes two point layup	26-14
3:29		Patrick Ngongba II blocks Baye Ndongo's two point layup
3:27		Yellow Jackets offensive rebound
3:25		Cooper Flagg blocks Duncan Powell's two point layup
3:23		Tyrese Proctor defensive rebound
3:18	+3	Isaiah Evans makes three point jump shot (Tyrese Proctor assists)	26-17
3:13		Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout
2:52		Jaeden Mustaf misses three point jump shot
2:50		Cooper Flagg defensive rebound
2:46		Cooper Flagg turnover (traveling)
2:46		Official timeout
2:35	+3	Naithan George makes three point jump shot	29-17
2:25		Kon Knueppel misses two point jump shot
2:23		Patrick Ngongba II offensive rebound
2:18	+2	Patrick Ngongba II makes two point layup	29-19
2:00		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
1:58		Blue Devils defensive rebound
1:42	+2	Patrick Ngongba II makes two point dunk (Kon Knueppel assists)	29-21
1:16		Duncan Powell misses two point layup
1:14		Isaiah Evans defensive rebound
1:09	+3	Isaiah Evans makes three point jump shot (Kon Knueppel assists)	29-24
0:51	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	31-24
0:41		Baye Ndongo shooting foul (Tyrese Proctor draws the foul)
0:41	+1	Tyrese Proctor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-25
0:41	+1	Tyrese Proctor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-26
0:21		Lance Terry turnover (lost ball) (Mason Gillis steals)
0:12		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
0:03		Isaiah Evans misses three point jump shot
0:01		Lance Terry defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
GT
Yellow Jackets
39
DUKE
Blue Devils
52

Time		Play	Score
19:30		Khaman Maluach blocks Jaeden Mustaf's two point layup
19:28		Mason Gillis defensive rebound
19:21		Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot
18:59		Khaman Maluach blocks Baye Ndongo's two point layup
18:57		Khaman Maluach defensive rebound
18:46	+3	Kon Knueppel makes three point jump shot (Tyrese Proctor assists)	31-29
18:23		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
18:21		Kon Knueppel defensive rebound
18:07		Duncan Powell shooting foul (Khaman Maluach draws the foul)
18:07	+1	Khaman Maluach makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-30
18:07	+1	Khaman Maluach makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-31
17:50		Lance Terry misses two point jump shot
17:48		Sion James defensive rebound
17:42		Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot
17:40		Lance Terry defensive rebound
17:28		Tyrese Proctor personal foul
17:09		Naithan George misses two point jump shot
17:07		Kon Knueppel defensive rebound
16:56	+3	Sion James makes three point jump shot (Kon Knueppel assists)	31-34
16:35		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
16:33		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
16:28		Baye Ndongo turnover (bad pass)
16:19		Duncan Powell blocks Kon Knueppel's two point layup
16:17		Kon Knueppel offensive rebound
16:13		Sion James misses three point jump shot
16:11		Kon Knueppel offensive rebound
15:57		Tyrese Proctor misses two point layup
15:55		Tyrese Proctor offensive rebound
15:53		Tyrese Proctor misses two point layup
15:51		Khaman Maluach offensive rebound
15:51	+2	Khaman Maluach makes two point layup	31-36
15:51		Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout
15:51		TV timeout
15:36		Darrion Sutton turnover (bad pass) (Tyrese Proctor steals)
15:33	+2	Tyrese Proctor makes two point dunk	31-38
15:11		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
15:09		Mason Gillis defensive rebound
15:09		Mason Gillis turnover (lost ball)
15:09		TV timeout
14:49	+2	Jaeden Mustaf makes two point layup	33-38
14:19		Tyrese Proctor misses three point jump shot
14:17		Duncan Powell defensive rebound
14:07		Naithan George misses two point jump shot
14:05		Mason Gillis defensive rebound
13:56		Sion James misses three point jump shot
13:54		Blue Devils offensive rebound
13:54		Baye Ndongo personal foul
13:51		Kon Knueppel misses three point jump shot
13:49		Lance Terry defensive rebound
13:25	+2	Duncan Powell makes two point layup	35-38
13:11		Duncan Powell personal foul
13:08	+3	Isaiah Evans makes three point jump shot (Sion James assists)	35-41
12:49	+3	Duncan Powell makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	38-41
12:28	+2	Patrick Ngongba II makes two point layup (Tyrese Proctor assists)	38-43
12:05	+2	Lance Terry makes two point jump shot	40-43
11:49	+2	Isaiah Evans makes two point layup	40-45
11:23		Baye Ndongo misses two point jump shot
11:21		Isaiah Evans defensive rebound
11:13	+3	Kon Knueppel makes three point jump shot (Sion James assists)	40-48
11:03		Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout
11:03		TV timeout
10:40	+3	Lance Terry makes three point jump shot	43-48
10:22		Ibrahim Souare shooting foul (Patrick Ngongba II draws the foul)
10:22		Patrick Ngongba II misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:22	+1	Patrick Ngongba II makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-49
10:08		Naithan George misses two point jump shot
10:06		Tyrese Proctor defensive rebound
9:57		Caleb Foster turnover (lost ball) (Baye Ndongo steals)
9:49		Caleb Foster personal foul
9:27		Duncan Powell turnover (bad pass)
9:21		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
9:10		Isaiah Evans misses three point jump shot
9:08		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
8:47		Jaeden Mustaf turnover (lost ball) (Kon Knueppel steals)
8:30	+2	Khaman Maluach makes two point dunk (Kon Knueppel assists)	43-51
8:15		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
8:13		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
8:08		Baye Ndongo misses two point dunk
8:06		Khaman Maluach defensive rebound
8:01	+3	Isaiah Evans makes three point jump shot (Sion James assists)	43-54
7:48		Jaeden Mustaf misses three point jump shot
7:46		Tyrese Proctor defensive rebound
7:41		Kon Knueppel misses three point jump shot
7:39		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
7:27		Lance Terry misses two point jump shot
7:25		Sion James defensive rebound
7:19		Lance Terry personal foul
7:19		TV timeout
7:09		Isaiah Evans misses three point jump shot
7:07		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
6:48		Sion James shooting foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul)
6:48	+1	Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-54
6:48	+1	Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-54
6:27	+2	Khaman Maluach makes two point dunk (Kon Knueppel assists)	45-56
6:10		Naithan George misses two point jump shot
6:08		Sion James defensive rebound
6:03		Baye Ndongo blocks Khaman Maluach's two point dunk
6:01		Duncan Powell defensive rebound
5:59	+2	Lance Terry makes two point jump shot	47-56
5:59		Sion James shooting foul (Lance Terry draws the foul)
5:59		Lance Terry misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:59		Kon Knueppel defensive rebound
5:41		Tyrese Proctor misses two point jump shot
5:39		Sion James offensive rebound
5:36	+2	Sion James makes two point layup	47-58
5:17	+3	Duncan Powell makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	50-58
4:57	+2	Kon Knueppel makes two point layup	50-60
4:57		Darrion Sutton shooting foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
4:57	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 1 of 1	50-61
4:43		Khaman Maluach shooting foul (Jaeden Mustaf draws the foul)
4:43	+1	Jaeden Mustaf makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-61
4:43	+1	Jaeden Mustaf makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-61
4:25	+2	Kon Knueppel makes two point layup	52-63
4:13	+3	Duncan Powell makes three point jump shot (Jaeden Mustaf assists)	55-63
3:43	+2	Khaman Maluach makes two point dunk (Kon Knueppel assists)	55-65
3:43		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
3:43		TV timeout
3:20		Kon Knueppel blocks Lance Terry's two point layup
3:18		Khaman Maluach defensive rebound
2:49		Kon Knueppel misses two point jump shot
2:47		Blue Devils turnover (shot clock violation)
2:41	+3	Naithan George makes three point jump shot	58-65
2:22		Jaeden Mustaf personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
2:22	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-66
2:22	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-67
2:15		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
2:13		Khaman Maluach defensive rebound
1:53		Tyrese Proctor misses two point layup
1:51		Duncan Powell defensive rebound
1:44		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
1:42		Duncan Powell offensive rebound
1:38		Mason Gillis personal foul
1:27	+3	Darrion Sutton makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	61-67
1:06		Darrion Sutton personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
1:06	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-68
1:06	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-69
0:56		Naithan George turnover (lost ball) (Kon Knueppel steals)
0:51	+2	Khaman Maluach makes two point dunk (Kon Knueppel assists)	61-71
0:38	+3	Lance Terry makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	64-71
0:38		Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout
0:35		Duncan Powell personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
0:35	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-72
0:35	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-73
0:27	+2	Duncan Powell makes two point jump shot	66-73
0:25		Duncan Powell personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
0:25		Kon Knueppel misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:25	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	66-74
0:16	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point dunk (Duncan Powell assists)	68-74
0:14		Lance Terry personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
0:14	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 1 of 2	68-75
0:14	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	68-76
0:06	+2	Duncan Powell makes two point layup	70-76
0:05		Lance Terry personal foul (Kon Knueppel draws the foul)
0:05	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-77
0:05	+1	Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	70-78
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Kon Knueppel makes regular free throw 2 of 2