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Houston Star Makes Cooper Flagg Admission Before Championship Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 3:28 PM ET

Cooper Flagg and the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils were viewed as one of the best teams college basketball had seen heading into this past weekend's Final Four.

However, that narrative changed dramatically after their jaw-dropping 70-67 loss to the No. 1 seed Houston Cougars that saw them blow a 14-point lead. The perception around this Duke team now centers around them having one of the all-time collapses, with many tabbing them as one of the biggest disappointments we have seen.

While the collapse was far from ideal, Duke was able to get the ball in the hands of Flagg with under 15 seconds remaining down just one point. Flagg worked his way from the wing to around the free throw line with Houston's J'wan Roberts on him. He ended up firing off a turnaround jumper that he left short, with the rebound being grabbed by Houston to help ice the game.

Cooper Flagg missed the chance to win it for Duke

2.5 seconds remaining.pic.twitter.com/x5P8i0EZKi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 6, 2025

While everyone in the arena and watching the game knew that Flagg would have the ball in that moment, Houston's strategy to leave him on an island with Roberts may have surprised some.

However, in a report by The Athletic's CJ Moore, it was revealed that Roberts requested that.

"With Houston now ahead by one, Duke coach Jon Scheyer called timeout to draw up a play," wrote Moore. "In the Houston huddle, Roberts told his coaches that he didn’t want any help against Flagg."

Roberts himself also weighed in, expressing that he was just trying to make life as difficult as possible for the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

"I knew where the ball was going to,” Roberts told The Athletic. “I mean, there’s only one person who had the ball in their hands; it’s the player of the year. So you’re not gonna stop him from shooting the ball, but you can make it as difficult as you can.”

It was a gamble by Houston, but one that paid off. Thanks to their second half surge and that stop, they'll take on the Florida Gators Monday evening in the title game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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