DURHAM — Kon Knueppel shined as a scorer, Cooper Flagg contributed in a variety of ways and Duke basketball started its season with a 96-62 rout of Maine at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Knueppel and Flagg, the headliners among the Blue Devils’ 10 newcomers, were the stars in the 2024-25 opener. Going back to 1982, Duke has won 43 consecutive home openers.

The seventh-ranked Blue Devils (1-0) had a battle on their hands in the first half against the Black Bears (0-1), but Jon Scheyer’s squad turned up the heat to widen the gap in the final 20 minutes.

Duke, which has six players finish in double figures on Monday, is back at Cameron on Friday (6 p.m., ACC Network) to play Army, former head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s alma mater.

Here are some observations from the Blue Devils’ season-opening win vs. Maine.

Cooper Flagg stats in Duke basketball game vs Maine

Playing against the team from his home state, Cooper Flagg was Duke’s primary facilitator, dishing out four of his five assists in the first half. Flagg also had the highlight of the night when he threw down a one-handed hammer that got his family members out of their seats. Flagg finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. With just under 4 minutes left, after playing 30-plus minutes, Flagg exited the game with a leg cramp.

Kon Knueppel’s hot shooting start for Blue Devils

Freshman wing Kon Knueppel scored 13 points in the first 7-plus minutes of his debut, including nine points in just over a minute of game time during a 14-0 run for the Blue Devils. Knueppel’s latest heater was sparked by a hustle play on a steal that led to a layup. He had 15 of his game-high 22 points in the first half.

Duke rebounding has to be better

The Blue Devils had an 11-point lead at halftime, but Maine was winning the rebounding advantage with an 18-16 edge on the boards. The Black Bears had six offensive rebounds and eight second-chance points before Duke picked up its effort on the glass in the second half. The Blue Devils ended the night with a 40-27 rebounding edge. Moving forward, as Duke prepares for games against Kentucky, Arizona and Kansas, the effort will have to be better on the boards.

Caleb Foster, Tyrese Proctor steady as Duke's returning guards

Returning guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster were steady as the Blue Devils' top returners. Proctor had 10 points and five rebounds, and Foster added 11 points and three assists. That's the kind of consistent effort Duke will need from its veterans in the backcourt.

Khaman Malauch wows with blocks

Khaman Malauch got the Cameron Crazies going with a pair of “wow” plays in the first half, with a volleyball split and a two-handed pin against the backboard in the first 12 minutes. Maluach, a 7-foot-2 center from South Sudan, had six points, six rebounds and three blocks in his official debut for the Blue Devils.

Sion James, Mason Gillis, Maliq Brown contributed in different ways

Duke’s top three additions from the transfer portal showed their veteran experience in the opener, contributing in different ways as the first three players to come off the bench for the Blue Devils. Tulane transfer Sion James had 11 points and three rebounds, Purdue transfer Mason Gillis had 10 points and two steals, and Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown added five rebounds and three assists.