By Sam Federman
As the clock wound down with Duke and Kentucky tied at 72, the Blue Devils gave the ball to their generational star, Cooper Flagg. Three Duke players filtered from one side of the court to the other, clearing the lane as Flagg dribbled at the top of the key.
As he drove, he stopped, and Andrew Carr stopped with him. He mirrored every step until Lamont Butler came in and ripped the ball away in the lane after Flagg couldn't establish positioning down low.
Otega Oweh made two free throws, and then after another Flagg turnover, the Wildcats escaped with Mark Pope's first big win of his tenure back at his alma mater
"This is actually not about me at all," Pope said. "It's about these boys, it's about BBN, that's what makes it special."
A Kentucky man through and through.
The Cats were led by Carr's 17 points on just eight field goal attempts, and Pope allowed him to give the opening statement in the Wildcats' press conference.
"We're coming into halftime," he said. "Not everything was going our way, and coach always talks about just turning to each other. The people that matter are the people in that locker room, and the closer we get, it's harder to break up."
UK turned around a game that Duke had chances to expand out to 10 or even 15 had they made some open shots, and came out with the victory in the final moments.
Other notes
Kansas got 28 points from Hunter Dickinson in their Champions' Classic victory over Michigan State, who still doesn't know what lineups it wants to play.
Billy Lange and Saint Joseph's bounced back from a putrid loss to Central Connecticut with a home win in the Holy War over Villanova.
UC Riverside won the Battle for Riverside over city rival Cal Baptist thanks to 25 points from sophomore guard Barrington Hargress.
La Salle picked up its third straight home win to start the season, rinsing a good Cornell team 93-77.
Games to watch today
Louisiana Tech vs UMass, 6 p.m., MSG
Milwaukee at Longwood, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Wright State at Toledo, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Troy at Arkansas, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Cal at Vanderbilt, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Hofstra vs Seton Hall, 8 p.m., MSG
North Texas at Minnesota, 8 p.m., Big Ten Plus