Maine Black Bears vs. Duke Blue Devils Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 4th 2024

Preview and Prediction

As the No. 7 ranked Duke Blue Devils prepare for what is sure to be another exciting season, the highly anticipated debut of freshman Cooper Flagg will be particularly special.

This is due to the fact that Flagg will be facing off against his home-state team, Maine, in their season opener on Monday in Durham, North Carolina.

This matchup between the Black Bears and the Blue Devils is far from a typical first game of the season.

While Flagg may not be the star player in every game throughout the long season, he will certainly be in the spotlight for this particular contest.

According to Duke coach Jon Scheyer, Flagg is a natural on the court with great instincts and a strong feel for the game. He is expected to make some impressive plays and bring a lot to the team.

Flagg's talent has already made him well-known in the world of college basketball, even before he has scored his first official points. In his home state of Maine, he is highly regarded and his skills are well-known.

Maine coach Chris Markwood believes that there will be a great buzz and electric atmosphere surrounding this game, with many people from their state making the trip to support their team. It is a great opportunity for the Black Bears to make a statement.

As a high school freshman, Flagg helped lead Nokomis Regional High School to a state championship, scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in the title game.

The Maine-Duke matchup was arranged after Duke officials reached out to Maine to gauge their interest in scheduling a game.

Markwood is familiar with Flagg, and Flagg is familiar with Maine. He grew up attending games at the university and his family is very familiar with the school. Markwood describes Flagg as dynamic in transition and acknowledges that it will be a tough task for his team to defend against him.

Duke has a deep roster with many players capable of making big plays early in the season. In fact, junior guard Tyrese Proctor did not even start in one of the team's exhibition games due to the high level of competition in practice.

Proctor and guard Caleb Foster were both starters for more than half of Duke's games last season. Scheyer is still experimenting with different lineups and player combinations on the court.

The Blue Devils have added several transfers and a highly touted freshman, making their first game just the beginning of what they hope will be a successful season. They have tough matchups against Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, and Auburn in the first month, and will be looking to improve upon their Elite Eight appearance in last year's NCAA Tournament.

According to Scheyer, the challenge for the team is to continue growing and improving while also being at their best for each game. He believes that different players will step up in different situations and contribute to the team's success.

Maine had a record of 15-17 overall and 7-9 in their conference last season. They also opened their 2023-24 season in North Carolina, losing to Charlotte.

The Black Bears will rely on returning players such as Kellen Tynes, who averaged 12.6 points per game last season, and Jaden Clayton, who led the team in assists with 4.0 per game and was third in scoring with 9.2 points per game.

PREDICTION

Maine Black Bears

Duke Blue Devils

Maine Black Bears vs. Duke Blue Devils Recap NOV 4TH 2024

Freshman Kon Knueppel scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half and Cooper Flagg poured in 18 points in his anticipated college debut as No. 7 Duke opened the season by defeating Maine 96-62 on Monday night in Durham, N.C.

Duke began the season with typically high expectations as it began its third season under coach Jon Scheyer.

The game was set up with Flagg in mind. The Maine native, who was the top-rated recruit among this year's college freshmen, was 6-for-15 from the field, including 0-for-4 on 3-point attempts, but had a team-high seven rebounds and added five assists and three steals.

Caleb Foster and Tulane transfer Sion James notched 11 points apiece, and Tyrese Proctor and Purdue transfer Mason Gillis each had 10 points for Duke, which shot 55.6 percent from the field.

Knueppel and Proctor both bagged nailed three 3-pointers among the Blue Devils' 11.

Quion Burns had 15 points and Keelan Steele finished with 11 for Maine, which was coming off a 15-17 season. The Bears were 3-for-14 on treys.

Flagg scored his first points more than 13 minutes into the game. In the second half, he had a 64-second stretch with six points as the Blue Devils were pulling away.

Duke broke out to a 26-9 lead, boosted by 11 points in less than two minutes along the way. But the margin dipped to 44-33 by halftime, with Flagg at eight points.

Knueppel's 3-pointer built Duke's lead to 56-39, resulting in a Maine time-out. The Bears tried to recover after missing five consecutive shots.

Maine finished 17-for-18 on free throws, outscoring Duke by two points on foul shots. The Blue Devils finished with a 40-27 rebounding advantage.