Duke Dominates Illinois in MSG Debut
Cooper Flagg had 16 points in his Madison Square Garden debut and seven players scored in double figures for No. 3 Duke in a 110-67 blowout that marked the most lopsided loss in Illinois history. Isaiah Evans paced the Blue Devils (24-3) with 17 points in 18 minutes off the bench, and Kon Knueppel added 15. The Blue Devils built a 23-point lead in the first half and scored its most points since a 113-49 win over Stetson in December 2018.
- This blowout loss highlights the growing imbalance in college basketball powerhouses, with top teams like Duke consistently demonstrating their dominance over weaker opponents.
- How will Illinois' recent struggles impact their NCAA Tournament prospects, particularly if they fail to regain form and momentum in Big Ten play?