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Devils shut down Tide’s offense

Alabama guard Chris Youngblood (8) reacts during the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Duke, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Duke's stream of long, tall NBA-ready standouts smothered Alabama and papered over Cooper Flagg's rough shooting night to lift the Blue Devils to the program's 18th Final Four with an 85-65 victory Saturday night in the NCAA Tournament's East Region final.

Flagg made only 6 of 16 shots, including a brick that got stuck in the flange of the rim, but still finished with 16 points. Kon Knueppel, another potential lottery pick, led the Blue Devils with 21 points.

But the most important stat: Alabama's nation-leading offense, one coming off a record-setting night from long range in the Sweet 16, shot 8 for 32 from behind the arc, 35.4% overall and failed to crack 70 for only the second time this season.

The Crimson Tide's 35.4% shooting from the floor was their worst all season and their 25% from behind the arc (8 for 32) matched their fourth-worst showing of 2024-25.

Mark Sears, who came one short of a tournament record with 10 three-pointers two nights earlier, finished with one and only six points against the Blue Devils (35-3), who won their 15th in a row.

At the Final Four in San Antonio, top-seeded Duke will play the winner of Sunday's game between Houston and Tennessee. Its win erased any chance of an all-SEC show at the Final Four, but with No. 1 Florida winning earlier, it kept alive the prospect of all four top seeds playing on the sport's biggest stage for only the second time.

Khaman Maluach scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and Duke shot 53.6% despite its best player's rough night.

Flagg was hardly bad in this one. He had nine rebounds, three assists and one mega-block that sent Mouhammed Dioubate's floater flying over press row.

But in a game in which both teams were focused on taking away the other's best player, it was Duke that did it more effectively, switching off on Sears, locking down the perimeter and never letting him find breathing room.

The fifth-year senior's first bucket of any kind came nearly 18 minutes into the game and the shot was a 16-footer from the elbow -- the exact kind of midrange shot Nate Oats' team of dunkers and three-point specialists avoids.

Sears' first three-pointer came with 16:19 left in the game. His final line: 2 for 12 from the floor, 1 for 5 from three-point range. He also had six assists. Labaron Philon led the second-seeded Crimson Tide (28-9) with 16 points. Not a single Alabama player made more shots than he missed.

Duke Coach Jon Scheyer, leading the program to the Final Four for the first time since his predecessor Mike Krzyzewski's last season in 2022, has up to six NBA prospects on his roster.

They all chipped in on offense -- Tyrese Proctor had 17 points -- and even moreso on defense, where Alabama looked nothing like the team that set tournament records for makes and attempts by going 25 for 51 from three-point range against BYU.

Duke guard Tyrese Proctor (5), guard Sion James (14) and Duke center Khaman Maluach (9) react as time winds off the clock to end an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Alabama, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) drives against Duke guard Tyrese Proctor, left, during the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Duke forward Cooper Flagg (2) puts up a shot against Alabama guard Aden Holloway (2) during the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Duke forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after Duke beat Alabama in an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Duke forward Cooper Flagg (2) and guard Sion James (14) react during the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Alabama, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Alabama's Grant Nelson (4) dunks the ball in front of Duke's Cooper Flagg (2) in the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Duke guard Kon Knueppel, left, dives for the ball against Alabama guard Labaron Philon, right, during the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer motions to players during the first half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Alabama, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Duke center Khaman Maluach (9) reacts during the second half of an Elite Eight round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Alabama, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Tim Cooper has been a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sports department since October 1988 and began reporting on high school sports full time in 1993. The Malvern native attended Henderson State University and worked as a sports writer at the Paris News in Paris, Texas, from 1985 to 1988.