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March Madness 2022: Coach Okay’s closing scamper continues as Duke closes out Spartans

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Mike Krzyzewski’s feelings began to float with about a seconds left on the clock, when it used to be at closing sure Duke would lengthen his closing NCAA Tournament breeze.

He whirled around to face the piece where his family used to be sitting in the serve of him and prolonged both arms to level their potential in celebration. He traded high-fives and hugs with his gamers, then shared a protracted postgame hug at midcourt with Michigan Divulge’s Tom Izzo after beating his friend in the Hall of Fame coaches’ bittersweet closing tussle.

Krzyzewski’s retirement would perhaps be on take for several more days no longer lower than. The Blue Devils survived a disturbing carry out to beat the Spartans 85-76 on Sunday, earning another outing to the Sweet 16 and giving their coach his newest milestones.

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Trailing by five come the 5-minute label and with their season in risk, the Blue Devils (30-6) answered with one mountainous shot after another, a resilient efficiency amid unparalleled stress.

It used to be almost too powerful for Krzyzewski, who struggled to search out the devoted words to delivery out his postgame news convention.

“You guys had been terrific, man,” Krzyzewski told the gamers sitting alongside him, his issue quavering with emotion. “I’m so — I’m definitely proud to be your coach.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski celebrates after their elevate in opposition to Michigan Divulge with forward Wendell Moore Jr. at some level of the 2nd half of a college basketball game in the 2nd round of the NCAA match on Sunday, March 20, 2022, in Greenville, S.C.
((AP Picture/Chris Carlson))

“It had nothing to construct up with coaching in those closing four or five minutes. It all needed to construct up with heart and togetherness. They followed their hearts and God bless them — we’re in the Sweet 16.”

Superstar freshman Paolo Banchero scored 19 factors and muscled in the streak-forward drive through contact with 2: 05 left, hanging the Blue Devils forward to preserve in the document-extending 1,200th elevate of Krzyzewski’s profession. Duke reached the Sweet 16 for the 26th time under Coach Okay, who announced closing summer season that his 42nd season with the Blue Devils would possibly perhaps perhaps perhaps be his closing.

Those coaching milestones came in opposition to his longtime friend and frequent rival. The 75-One year-primitive Krzyzewski — who has five NCAA titles and a document-tying 12 Final Four appearances — improved to 13-3 in opposition to the 67-One year-primitive Izzo, who gained the 2000 nationwide championship and has reached eight Final Fours.

Krzyzewski will continue his push for a profession-capping championship when the 2nd-seeded Blue Devils head to San Francisco to Third-seeded Texas Tech on Thursday in the West Map semifinals.

The Blue Devils shot 61% after halftime and 57% for the game, and they wanted every little bit of that manufacturing to dwell on in opposition to the seventh-seeded Spartans (23-13) in a riveting combat to the closing minute.

“It’s the NCAA Tournament, our season’s on the road every single game,” Banchero said. “That’s definitely all that desires to be said. … We had been treasure, ‘We’ve acquired four minutes: we are able to either lay down or flip it up.’”

The 6-foot-10 Banchero had the greatest basket, hanging the ball on the bottom and scoring in a mauling drive in opposition to the smaller Joey Hauser for the 75-74 lead. Then Jeremy Roach hit a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock for a four-level lead with 1: 16 left, sending an already-charged crowd into a plump bawl.

“I focal level on they showed their truest colours,” Izzo said.

“A median team with out numerous heart would possibly perhaps perhaps’ve devoted drifted into the sunset. And I believed they reached down in Mike Krzyzewski model, and did a terrific job of more or much less taking it at us. We devoted didn’t safe ample left.”

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Even more impressive, Duke did it all with freshman starter A.J. Griffin sidelined the closing 8: 24 with an apparent left ankle wreck. The Blue Devils closed out the game by outscoring the Spartans 20-6.

Duke forward Wendell Moore Jr. celebrates after their elevate as Michigan Divulge forward Joey Hauser appears to be like away at some level of in a college basketball game in the 2nd round of the NCAA match on Sunday, March 20, 2022, in Greenville, S.C.
((AP Picture/Chris Carlson))

Gabe Brown scored 18 factors to lead Michigan Divulge, while Tyson Walker scored all 13 of his factors after halftime. The Spartans shot 42% for the game and had most productive one self-discipline purpose over the closing 2 1/2 minutes in possession-by-possession combat as Duke made its pass.

“I must be proud, nonetheless on the identical time, indignant that we’re no longer playing another night,” said Spartans mountainous man Marcus Bingham Jr., who had 16 factors and 10 rebounds. “I focal level on the guys went available in the market and conducted arduous from the first half into the 2nd half. We fought. Magnificent some situations, we devoted didn’t pull through.”

BIG PICTURE

Michigan Divulge: Izzo, who gained the 2000 NCAA title and has eight Final Fours in 27 seasons, acknowledged the total “irregular feelings” sure to achieve for both groups in this game. His team gave itself a likelihood nonetheless would possibly perhaps perhaps perhaps no longer dead the Blue Devils’ leisurely push. Izzo fell to 2-4 in opposition to Krzyzewski in the NCAA Tournament.

“I will repeatedly pull for Mike,” Izzo said. “I focal level on he’s executed some issues that would possibly perhaps streak down in the lore of basketball. You might want to perhaps maybe be aware this game in numerous ideas. My technique of remembering it is far going to no longer be barely as appetizing, nonetheless this would possibly perhaps be respectful.”

Michigan Divulge head coach Tom Izzo walks off the court after a loss to Duke in a college basketball game in the 2nd round of the NCAA match, Sunday, March 20, 2022, in Greenville, S.C.
((AP Picture/Brynn Anderson))

Duke: Banchero, a high NBA prospect, and 7-foot-1 Ticket Williams (15 factors, eight rebounds, five blocks) overpowered the Spartans — who safe masses of length themselves — and showed how factual the Blue Devils would possibly perhaps perhaps perhaps be in the entrance court. Duke used to be balanced with five double-decide scorers, including Wendell Moore Jr. (15 factors), Roach (15) and Trevor Keels (12) — all of whom hit key shots leisurely.

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“I knew once we acquired our foot in the door,” Moore said, “there used to be no making an strive serve from there.”

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils meet the Red Raiders, who private KenPom’s No. 1-rated defense by surrendering 84.6 factors per 100 possessions this One year.

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