Cooper Flagg stats, other observations from Duke basketball exhibition vs Lincoln (Pa.)

DURHAM — Duke basketball got a look at its reloaded roster Saturday in the first exhibition of the 2024-25 season.

The seventh-ranked Blue Devils earned a 107-56 victory against former N.C. State star Julius Hodge and his Lincoln (Pa.) team at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Entering its third season under head coach Jon Scheyer, Duke has six freshmen and four players who joined the squad via the transfer portal. Caleb Foster, Kon Knueppel, Sion James, Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown were in Duke’s starting lineup against the Lions.

The Blue Devils close their exhibition schedule against Arizona State on Oct. 27 (7 p.m., ACC Network) in the Brotherhood Run, a charity exhibition game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, before opening the regular season on Nov. 4 against Maine (7 p.m., ACC Network).

Here are some observations from the Blue Devils’ exhibition matchup with Lincoln (Pa.).

Cooper Flagg stats in Duke basketball exhibition vs Lincoln

Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, continues to play as advertised. The 6-foot-9 Flagg scored a team-high 22 points and four blocks. Despite picking up two quick fouls, Flagg finished with 13 points, six assists and three blocks in 13 minutes to help the Blue Devils take a 56-34 lead into halftime. He capped his afternoon with a towering one-handed dunk on a lob from Brown late in the second half.

Kon Knueppel’s pure 3-point shooting

Kon Knueppel, another five-star recruit, had five 3-pointers with six minutes left in the first half. Known for his pure shooting stroke, which he seems to display on every shot, Knueppel finished with 17 points, adding five rebounds and three assists. He had a vicious one-handed hammer over a Lincoln defender for the highlight of the afternoon.

Tyrese Proctor as Duke’s sixth man?

Junior guard Tyrese Proctor has more experience at Duke than anyone on the roster, but he came off the bench against Lincoln (Pa.). Proctor starred in a reserve role, finishing with 15 points in the first half in 14 minutes. He made 5-of-6 free throws and knocked down two 3-pointers in the final two minutes to help Duke stretch its lead. Overall, Proctor had 19 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Khaman Maluach is a rebounding machine

Khaman Maluach, Duke’s 7-foot-2 center, was a rebounding menace with nine boards in the first half. Maluach snagged five offensive rebounds in 12-plus minutes before halftime, adding two points and two blocks. He finished with 11 rebounds in 20 minutes.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Who stood out in Duke basketball’s exhibition game vs Lincoln?