Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg had already arrived in college basketball, as he entered Saturday leading the Blue Devils in just about every meaningful statistical category. But he made the biggest statement of his career Saturday in Duke's 86–78 win over Notre Dame at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The co-hosts of CBS Sports' Eye on College Basketball podcast weigh in on a surprising lack of national interest in Duke's latest sensation

Flagg gave the NBA's worst teams something to hope for with his strong effort in an 86-78 win over Notre Dame on Saturday.

Duke Blue Devils freshman phenom Cooper Flagg put on a show Saturday afternoon at Cameron Indoor Stadium. In 36 minutes, Flagg went off for 42 points, seven assists and six rebounds while shooting 11-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from deep to help Duke defeat Notre Dame 86–78.

Cooper Flagg turned in the best game of his brief college career on Saturday. The Duke star scored a career-high 42 points during the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils’ 86-78 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Since losing to Kansas during Thanksgiving week in Las Vegas, Duke has been a different team. The Blue Devils have won their last eight games and star freshman Cooper Flagg has been the leading scorer in five of them.

That's not all. Flagg also became the first Duke basketball talent to record at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in any game since his head coach, Jon Scheyer, dropped 36 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists in a home win over Gardner-Webb on Dec. 15, 2009.

Flagg is the biggest men’s college basketball star in years, bringing a built-in following to a sport fighting the perception that it is declining in popularity.

Cooper Flagg elevates for a big two-handed jam to extend Duke's lead.

The Duke men's basketball team understandably entered the 2024-25 season as heavy favorites in the ACC. The Blue Devils lost most of the players who helped them reach the Elite Eight last April, but they gained Cooper Flagg,