The Duke Blue Devils are headed to their 18th Final Four, but it wasn’t Cooper Flagg who led the charge in the Elite Eight.
It was Kon Knueppel — a true freshman out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin — who lit up the scoreboard and took command in a decisive 85-65 victory over Alabama.
Stepping Up When It Mattered Most
With Flagg having a quiet night, Knueppel shouldered the load, finishing with:
- 21 points
- 5 assists
- 3 rebounds
- Shooting 7-for-12 from the floor and 3-for-5 from deep
The moment wasn’t too big for him. In fact, he seemed born for it.
“We just wanted to execute better in the second half,” Knueppel told reporters. “I didn’t care who scored — but I was ready.”
— via Ball Durham
📊 Knueppel’s Shot Selection vs Alabama
🕹️ NCAA Tournament Trendline
👶 Duke’s Freshman Trio: Who’s Delivering?
A Family Rooted in Basketball
Kon Knueppel is no fluke.
- His father (also named Kon) scored over 2,000 career points at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
- His mother, Chari Nordgaard, is the all-time leading scorer at Wisconsin-Green Bay.
- His siblings — including four basketball-playing brothers — round out the Knueppel basketball dynasty.
That DNA, combined with elite coaching at Duke, is already paying dividends.
What’s Next: Final Four & Beyond
As Duke heads toward a Final Four showdown against Houston or Tennessee, one thing is clear:
🧊 Kon Knueppel is ready for the moment.
If he keeps trending upward, don’t be surprised if the freshman becomes a March Madness legend by tournament’s end — and a lottery pick come NBA Draft night.
