NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – APRIL 02: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils appears to be like on within the first half of the sport towards the North Carolina Tar Heels in the course of the 2022 NCAA Males’s Basketball Event Ultimate 4 semifinal at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Picture by Tom Pennington/Getty Photographs)
UNC followers, NCAA basketball media rejoice over Tar Heels ending Coach Okay’s profession
The Duke Blue Devils misplaced within the Ultimate 4 to finish Coach Okay’s profession, however was the Corridor of Famer liable for the loss to North Carolina?
The most popular ticket in March Insanity historical past lived as much as the hype as Duke and North Carolina performed a thriller in New Orleans on Saturday evening. Sadly for the Blue Devils, they got here up quick because the Tar Heels pulled out an 81-77 win to finish Mike Krzyzewski’s Corridor of Fame profession in a disappointing vogue.
Caleb Love torched Duke all evening lengthy, scoring 28 factors to steer all scorers and nailed a back-breaking three-pointer within the remaining minute to increase the Tar Heels’ result in 4. A late rally try got here up quick for the Blue Devils as Coach Okay’s profession got here to an finish in a ridiculous recreation that noticed the lead change palms 18 occasions over the course of the evening.
Is Coach Okay liable for Duke’s loss within the Ultimate 4?
There isn’t a lot that Krzyzewski might have completed in a different way to assist Duke decide up a win right here. In a stunning coincidence for Duke followers, the referees really harm the Blue Devils early by whistling six first-half fouls on Mark Williams and Theo John, severely hampering the Duke inside.
The strain of the second additionally weighed closely on the Blue Devils, who notably shot simply 12-of-20 from the free-throw line with two key misses from Williams that instantly preceded the Love three-pointer serving because the turning level. Duke was additionally ice chilly from the perimeter, pulling down simply 5-of-22 three-point makes an attempt, making the truth that they have been in place to win within the remaining minutes a credit score to Krzyzewski’s teaching.
All of that received’t matter for the historical past books, nevertheless, which can now observe that Coach Okay had his remaining dwelling recreation and remaining NCAA Event recreation ruined with a loss to Duke’s most bitter rival. This defeat will sting for a very long time and depart incoming head coach Jon Scheyer with a giant problem as he succeeds Krzyzewski subsequent season.
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