No. 2 Duke hold off NC State to stay unbeaten in ACC

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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Star freshman Cooper Flagg scored 23 of his 28 points after halftime to help No. 2 Duke hold off North Carolina State 74-64 on Monday night.

Fellow rookie Kon Knueppel had 19 points for the Blue Devils (18-2, 10-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won 14 straight games. And they had to fight the entire way to get there.

That’s because the Wolfpack (9-11, 2-7) played loose and fearlessly to build a 13-point first-half lead and then stay within reach of Duke every time the Blue Devils tried to push free in the final 10 minutes.

Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) attempts a three-point basket over North Carolina State’s Ben Middlebrooks (34) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

Dontrez Styles scored 18 points for N.C. State, which shot just 32% after halftime but matched its season high with 10 3-pointers.

ARIZONA 86, No. 3 IOWA ST. 75, OT

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Caleb Love hit a tying heave from beyond halfcourt at the end of regulation and made two more 3-pointers in overtime, finishing with 22 points and lifting Arizona to a win over No. 3 Iowa State.