No. 2 Duke hold off NC State to stay unbeaten in ACC

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Star freshman Cooper Flagg scored 23 of his 28 points after halftime to help No. 2 Duke hold off North Carolina State 74-64 on Monday night.

Fellow rookie Kon Knueppel had 19 points for the Blue Devils (18-2, 10-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won 14 straight games. And they had to fight the entire way to get there.

That’s because the Wolfpack (9-11, 2-7) played loose and fearlessly to build a 13-point first-half lead and then stay within reach of Duke every time the Blue Devils tried to push free in the final 10 minutes.

Dontrez Styles scored 18 points for N.C. State, which shot just 32% after halftime but matched its season high with 10 3-pointers.

ARIZONA 86, No. 3 IOWA ST. 75, OT

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Caleb Love hit a tying heave from beyond halfcourt at the end of regulation and made two more 3-pointers in overtime, finishing with 22 points and lifting Arizona to a win over No. 3 Iowa State.

The Cyclones (17-3, 7-2 Big 12) appeared to be in control when Joshua Jefferson hit one of two free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining, but they left too much time on the clock.

Love, who was 1 for 10 on 3s at that point, took a couple of dribbles and banked in his shot from behind the midcourt logo, sending a roar through McKale Center.

Love then hit two corner 3s in overtime and Carter Bryant added another to cap Arizona’s first win over a top-5 opponent as an unranked team since beating No. 3 UCLA in 1979.

Tobe Awaka finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats (14-6, 8-1).

Tamin Lipsey scored 18 points and Keshon Gilbert added 17 to lead the Cyclones.

The Associated Press