The Duke Blue Devils faced a challenging situation on Sunday evening as they spent a significant portion of the last 10 minutes without their freshman superstar Cooper Flagg. However, their determination and skill led to a remarkable 76 - 65 comeback victory over the Louisville Cardinals. This game showcased the Blue Devils' resilience and ability to overcome adversity.

Duke's Late-game Heroics Secure a Comeback Win

Opening Minutes: Louisville's Hot Start

Before Sunday's game, any Duke basketball fans looking at Louisville's stats were likely taken aback by the Cardinals' early performance. In their first eight games, Louisville made just 27.3% of their 3 - point attempts. But on this day, they connected on eight of their first 11 attempts at the KFC Yum! Center. Chucky Hepburn, a Wisconsin Badgers transfer averaging 15.1 points, made two triples in the first six minutes, and James Madison transfer Terrence Edwards Jr. made three of his first four. This blitz gave Louisville a 30 - 16 advantage, leaving the Blue Devils in a deep hole.Conversely, the Blue Devils entered the game making 36.6% of their 3 - pointers but started on a 2/11 streak from behind the arc. It seemed like an uphill battle for them at first.

Clawing Back: The Blue Devils' Fight

Just as they did against the Kansas Jayhawks and Auburn Tigers, the Blue Devils showed their tenacity. A trio of 3 - pointers from Mason Gillis, Caleb Foster, and Sion James whittled the lead down to seven with about four minutes left in the half. Then, a three - point play from Flagg in the paint brought Duke back into a 37 - 33 ballgame. Tyrese Proctor, as he has done in several crucial moments this season, provided key buckets at the perfect time. The junior carved his way to the basket on back - to - back possessions and found the basket on a pair of layups to keep the pace.With more than 10 minutes on the clock, Flagg picked up his fourth foul and had to leave the game. But the first - year forward had buoyed the Blue Devils down the stretch for most of the season. With a four - point Cardinals lead to overcome, the situation seemed fragile for Scheyer's team.

The Turning Point: Kon Knueppel's 3 - Pointer

Instead of folding, freshman Kon Knueppel stepped up. Just 20 seconds after Flagg's departure, Knueppel landed a 3 - pointer. This was the turning point as the lid seemed to fly off the basket. Duke ripped off 12 more points in the next four minutes, including a trio of baskets from Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown. Knueppel then knocked down another triple at the 5:42 mark.By the time Flagg checked back in with 4:42 left, Duke led 68 - 60. The Blue Devils outscored Louisville 18 - 6 in his absence. Flagg still ended with a team - leading 20 points and notched 12 rebounds for his fourth career double - double.

Second Half Struggles: Louisville's Decline

The Cardinals couldn't sustain their early - game shooting momentum. Starting the second half 3/12 from distance and experiencing three different scoring droughts longer than two minutes, they only scored 28 points after the break. This led to an 11 - point loss for Louisville.Now, Flagg and the Blue Devils must face a quick turnaround as the Incarnate Word Cardinals come to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. Their recent performance shows that they are a team capable of great things, but they will need to continue to work hard to maintain their success.