Cooper Flagg, Duke to Face Houston in Final Four

Cooper Flagg and Duke will face their toughest test yet in Houston in a matter of hours.

Apr 4, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) during a practice session for the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

On Saturday evening, two No. 1 seeds in Duke and Houston will face off in the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four. 

For many, the headline of the night will be projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who’s been a revelation for Duke this season.

Having been made the youngest AP College Basketball Player of the Year ever on Friday, Flagg now looks to continue to cement his legacy with a victory over the Cougars in the Final Four.

Through four March Madness games so far, Flagg has kept pace with his regular season production, averaging 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 45% from the field. And the Blue Devils will need every bit of that tonight against Houston, who are led by several soon-to-be NBA Draftees of their own.

Winning tonight won’t be a must to immortalize Flagg in college basketball history, but winning the final two games of the season would likely make his sole year one of the best ever for a one-and-done freshman.

Flagg’s standing as the projected No. 1 pick has long been cemented, dating back a few weeks to his dominated the regular season with nearly 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

Per a scouting report written about Flagg from July of last year: “Unlike the 2024 NBA Draft, this summer’s class has a clear top prospect. Set to be the face of whatever franchise has the luxury of selecting him in the 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg is a potentially generational talent.”

The Blue Devils and Cougars tip off at 7:49 p.m. CT tonight. The winner will go on to play the victor of Auburn-Florida.