Duke Blue Devils vs Mount St. Mary´s Mountaineers Picks and Predictions March 21st 2025

Duke Faces Mount St. Mary’s with Flagg’s Status in Question

The top-seeded Duke Blue Devils begin their NCAA Tournament journey on Friday against 16th-seeded Mount St. Mary’s in Raleigh, N.C., but much of the focus remains on the status of freshman standout Cooper Flagg.

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Duke’s Winning Streak and Injury Concerns

Duke (31-3) enters the tournament riding an 11-game winning streak after capturing the ACC Tournament title. However, Flagg, the team’s leader in scoring (18.9 points), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.2), has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in the ACC quarterfinals.

Head coach Jon Scheyer remains optimistic about Flagg’s return but insists the team will take a cautious approach.

“I want to get Coop back as quick as we can. Our goal is for Friday, no question about it,” Scheyer said.

While Flagg’s availability is in doubt, Duke boasts a deep lineup. Freshman Kon Knueppel, the ACC Tournament MVP, has been a key contributor, averaging 14.4 points and 4.0 rebounds, while veteran guard Tyrese Proctor will be making his third NCAA Tournament appearance.

Mount St. Mary’s Aims for Upset After First Four Victory

Mount St. Mary’s (23-12) secured its spot in the Round of 64 with an 83-72 win over American on Wednesday in the First Four. Jedy Cordilia and Dola Adebayo led the Mountaineers with 22 points apiece.

The team enters the matchup on a five-game winning streak but will need to find more offensive consistency after struggling to surpass 70 points in recent contests.

“As far as playing Duke next, our mentality is the same thing, just going in and following the game plan,” guard Dallas Hobbs said.

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Can the Mountaineers Make History?

Duke is 14-0 all-time against No. 16 seeds and has dominated early-round matchups in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Blue Devils have struggled at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center, home to NC State, holding just a 12-9 record in the building. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance there ended in a shocking first-round loss to Mercer in 2014.

Mount St. Mary’s has been in this position before, winning a First Four game in 2017 before falling to No. 1 seed Villanova. The Mountaineers will look to challenge history and become just the third No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed.

For expert insights and predictions on this matchup, visit our NCAA Tournament Picks page for analysis on Duke vs. Mount St. Mary’s.