Kon Knueppel stats tonight - How did Duke star fare vs Auburn? (Dec 4)
Kon Knueppel and the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils handed the No. 2 Auburn Tigers their first loss of the season on Wednesday night, defeating them 84-78 in the SEC/ACC Challenge.
Four players scored in double figures for the Blue Devils, who preserved their unbeaten record at home. They have won their first five games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke defeated Auburn despite a low-scoring performance from Knueppel. He finished the game with six points, three assists and two rebounds. He shot 2-of-3 from the field and missed his lone attempt from beyond the arc.
Here are his stats from the game against Auburn.
Cooper Flagg picks up scoring slack amid Kon Knueppel's six-point effort
This was just the second time this season that Knueppel failed to score in double figures for the Blue Devils. He managed just eight points in Duke's 86-35 victory over the Wofford Terriers on Nov. 16.
Kon Knueppel entered the game in fine form, averaging 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest. He is Duke's second-leading scorer, trailing only Cooper Flagg.
Fortunately for the Blue Devils, their other starters picked up the slack on the offensive end. Flagg led the team in scoring with a game-high 22 points, going 8-of-18 from the field. He also recorded 11 boards for his third career double-double with Duke. Tyrese Proctor added 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting.
The team also got some much-needed help from its bench, with Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster combining for 29 points. Evans scored all of his 18 points in the first half. He knocked down six 3-pointers to help Duke take a 43-36 lead at the break.
The Tigers came storming back in the second half, cutting the deficit to 70-68 with 5:06 left on the game clock. The Blue Devils kept them at bay thanks to their defense, with Auburn missing seven field goal attempts in a row in the closing minutes.
Johni Broome and Tahaad Pettiford led the Tigers, each scoring 20 points. They powered Auburn's rally in the second half, combining for 29 points during that period. Broome has been dominant for Auburn this season, averaging 20.6 points and 12.8 rebounds through eight games.