#3 Duke will look to continue its stellar season tonight against the Stanford Cardinal. As always, any winning effort for the Blue Devils depends on Cooper Flag. The freshman phenom has been nothing short of spectacular, leading the program in most statistical categories. Can he keep up his high level of play against a quality ACC opponent?
Ahead of Saturday’s action, here’s the Flagg player prop I’m targeting on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Cooper Flagg player prop for February 15
Among the many second-half storylines in college basketball, Cooper Flagg’s history-making 2024-25 campaign is worth monitoring. Duke’s superstar has averaged 19.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists this season while shooting 48.3% from the field. On defense, he’s tallied 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Keeping those numbers in mind, it’s no surprise that the Blue Devils lead the ACC with a 21-3 (13-1) record. The forward is a contender for the Wooden Award, which has become a two-man race with Auburn’s Johni Broome.
As great as Flagg has been this season, Saturday’s opponent certainly isn’t a pushover. Stanford (16-9, 8-6) has allowed 70.5 points per game, the seventh-lowest mark in the 18-team ACC conference. Seven-footer Maxime Reynaud is a force in the paint, putting up 11.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. That makes it difficult for even the most gifted of scorers to beat the Cardinal down low.
Luckily for Duke fans, their team is more than capable from beyond the arc. This season, the Blue Devils have knocked down 10.0 three-pointers per game (26th in the nation), making 37.4% of their attempts (37th). While Flagg’s athleticism is what stands out, the freshman is a solid shooter as well. This season, he’s nailed 37.0% of his treys, attempting 3.8 shots per game from long distance.
Flagg enters this contest on a bit of a hot streak from deep. The 18-year-old has hit two or more three-pointers in three of his last four appearances. The same can’t be said for the Cardinal defense, which has allowed opponents to connect on 34.7% of threes over its previous three outings. Duke enters tonight’s matchup as 18.5-point favorites. However, I’m expecting a competitive game from Stanford. As long as this one stays close, Flagg should have enough time to make an impact as a shooter.
