Cooper Flagg didn’t just show up for his first Duke-North Carolina rivalry game—he took over. With a near triple-double performance, he led the Blue Devils to a dominant win, leaving Tar Heels fans stunned and analysts asking: Can anyone stop Duke in the ACC? “I’m not shocked. We put two on a ball. As I said before, Cooper is a great basketball player, and so his ability to create for himself and create for his teammates has been something that’s been a huge benefit for their team.” said a disappointed Hubert Davis as he watched his North Carolina Tar Heels get destroyed by Cooper Flagg and co.

The Maine event from Duke had 21 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in his Duke-North Carolina rivalry debut, and helped the Blue Devils dismantle the Tar Heels 87-70. Fellow freshman sharpshooter Kon Knueppel was just as electric, dropping 22 points while shooting 52.8% from deep, and sinking 10-of-20 from beyond the arc.

This statement’s performance hasn’t gone unnoticed. While already being considered one of the favorites to win the NCAA tournament this season, John Fanta of The Field Of 68: After Dark podcast has taken it a step further and declared that Cooper Flagg and co are going to finish unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Speaking in the podcast, Fanta said, ” What Duke is doing and when you look at their ACC schedule I don’t think they’re gonna lose a game in this league, I don’t .” He continues, “They gotta go to Clemson on Saturday, they could be susceptible to dropping one there but they’d have to play an off-game, you know their A-game is just otherworldly, it’s not great it’s otherworldly.”

The Duke Blue Devils are on fire, sitting at No. 2 in the country with a 19-2 record and a perfect 11-0 start in the ACC. With the conference looking weaker this season, it’s no shock that some believe Duke could run the table. Even John Fanta admitted that the lack of tough competition could hurt them later in the tournament. When the pressure ramps up, all eyes will be on Cooper Flagg to lead the way.

Can Duke keep the streak alive and prove John Fanta right? Their next matchup will be another test as they look to stay perfect in the ACC. Let’s dive into who the Blue Devils face next on their road to history!

What’s next for Cooper Flagg and his team?

Before their highly anticipated showdown with the ACC’s second-best team, Clemson. The only real threat to their unbeaten run, according to Fanta, the Blue Devils have a business to handle in New York. Next up, they head to the legendary JMA Wireless Dome to take on the Syracuse Orange.

Duke heads into this game at full strength with no injuries to report, while Syracuse isn’t as lucky. The Orange will be without Chance Westry and Donnie Freeman, both of whom haven’t seen action since January 6th. Their status remains questionable.

ESPN predicts an overwhelming 92.8% chance for the Duke Blue Devils to win. It will be interesting to see how Syracuse center Eddie Lampkin jr plays against Duke. He is averaging 10.1 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 56.5% from the field. He will certainly be the one to look out for the Blue Devils.

With Duke chasing an unbeaten ACC run, all eyes will be on Cooper Flagg and his squad to prove John Fanta right. Next up, they face Syracuse, another step in their quest for perfection before the big Clemson showdown! Stay tuned for more updates!