Freshman basketball phenom Cooper Flagg will make his hotly anticipated debut for Duke University against the University of Maine at 7 p.m. Monday in Durham, North Carolina.
It’s a familiar opponent for the 17-year-old Newport native who is projected to be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA Draft. His mother, Kelly Bowman Flagg, was a standout for the Black Bears. His twin brother, Ace, verbally committed to UMaine last week and will join them next season.
You can watch the game on the ACC Network or through the ESPN+ streaming service, while UMaine offers a free stream of the radio broadcast of the game.
Flagg’s team is a perennial college basketball powerhouse and a tall task for UMaine. Duke is a 29.5-point favorite on Monday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. A $5 bet on the Black Bears would pay $200 if they got the improbable win.
The Blue Devils were ranked 7th in the Associated Press’ preseason poll. The Black Bears wrapped up last season ranked 234th of the 362 Division I teams. They are expected to improve this year after a coaches poll picked them fourth in the America East Conference.
Flagg is expected to carry a heavy load for Duke this year. He scored 22 points alongside 4 blocks and 6 assists in a rout over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania in Duke’s first of two preseason games last month.
