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Kon Knueppel Sends Strong Message to Duke After ACC Tournament Win

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Mar 15, 2025 11:33 PM ET

The No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils turned out to be just fine in the 2025 ACC Tournament title game, even without superstar freshman Cooper Flagg.

With Flagg not in uniform, the Blue Devils took down the No. 13 seed Louisville Cardinals via a score of 73-62.

Another freshman, Kon Knueppel, played a big role in Duke's victory over the Cards, as he dropped 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals while shooting 6-for-12 from the field. Knueppel's performance against Louisville led to an ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player award, an honor that he made sure to thank his team for.

"I wouldn't be here without my guys," the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-native said following the game (h/t Conor O'Neill of Deacons Illustrated). “We'll keep fighting."

Knueppel was a steady and effective factor for Duke in the ACC tourney. He scored 28 points in the 78-70 win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the quarterfinal round, the same game where Flagg suffered the ankle injury that has forced him to miss two games in a row, including Friday's semifinal matchup against the No. 5 seed North Carolina Tar Heels.

Against the Tar Heels, Knueppel shined anew, as he had 17 points on 5-for-11 shooting with three 3-pointers.

With the ACC Tournament title in the bag, all the Blue Devils can do for now is wait for what seed the committee will assign to them for the 2025 March Madness on Selection Sunday.

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

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