SAN FRANCISCO — At the end of Duke's 78-73 victory over Texas Tech on Thursday night at Sweet 16, Blue Devils fans who flocked to the Chase Center were suddenly unsure whether they were looking at a career continuation or the end of a career. . ,
In a competitive game that included 11 ties and 13 major changes, fans realized they might be watching the final minutes of Mike Krzyzewski's stint, with Duke battling a team that entered the night with the nation's top defense. Was.
But Krzyzewski listened to his players late in the game when they told him it was time to go back to a man-to-man defense after Texas Tech interrupted the flow in the second half. His belief in them helped the program secure a trip to the Elite Eight and a matchup against Arkansas.
"It was like a Catholic boys' choir," Krzyzewski said of his players' collective call for second-half tweaks. "It was a chorus. They all said it. They all said it, and they said it with enthusiasm: 'We want to do this. We want to go man.' God bless them. What a nice group, these kids. They have grown so much in the last 12 days. It's a matter of great happiness. It's a wonderful thing."
The change seemed confusing to the Red Raiders, and more importantly, it helped Duke regain his confidence. Duke extended Krzyzewski's final season with crucial decisions and a clutch down the stretch.
Late in the second half, Duke freshman Paolo Banchero (22 points) countered Texas Tech guard Kevin McCuller's 3-pointer with a shot from just beyond the arc that gave the Blue Devils a 69-68 to play with 2:57 Gave an edge Jeremy Roach (15 points, five assists) made clutch plays, including consecutive jumpers, to extend the Blue Devils' lead in the final minutes, and kept the energy running when he verbally sparred with some Texas Tech players. Mark Williams (16 points, eight rebounds) played over the rim in the second half.
The Blue Devils scored on 12 of their last 15 possessions and scored their last eight shots from the field.
"All year long, in the biggest moments, we have always stepped up, and there is no greater moment than this," Banchero said after the game. "I don't know about these guys, but I've never played in a basketball game like this. When you're there... it's not like you're thinking. You're just playing to win, And you're 'playing very hard. So when you're doing that, you're not afraid of that moment as a team.'
Duke has reached the Elite Eight in each of his last three NCAA Tournament appearances (2018, 2019, 2022).
Thursday night's win came in a place where Krzyzewski had not had much success. Entering the sport, he had lost his last three NCAA Tournament games on the West Coast. On top of that, Texas Tech was a trendy pick for stopping Duke.
But Thursday's win also highlighted one of the keys to Krzyzewski's success: He's not afraid to adjust.
When Duke went into a zone defense in the second half, it seemed to slow Texas Tech, making it more sneaky as it tried to process the change. McCullers and Bryson Williams scored 38 points for the Red Raiders, but the defensive change made them think twice about every shot.
Later, Krzyzewski stated that the zone defense "saved" the Blue Devils. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Duke used a zone defense in the second half at about half-time, and the Red Raiders failed to score on any of their first six properties against it. Texas Tech shot 33% from the field against the field on Thursday, compared to 44% against a man-to-man defense.
Throughout the season, schools across the country celebrated Krzyzewski's career. But he admitted on Wednesday that the weight of his farewell tour has affected his youth team. Duke battled Michigan State in the second round to advance to Sweet 16 and then needed a comeback in the second half of Thursday's game.
However, with a minute to go, Banchero and his teammates slapped the floor in unison, as is the Duke tradition. His energy had changed. And he used it to win Saturday and travel to the Elite Eight.
Krzyzewski said it was a defining moment for the team.
"Slap the floor... what the fuck? Why not?" Krzyzewski said after the game. "Our people really wanted it because it's like 'cross the bridge for the Brotherhood' [moment]. They can say now that they did it. Hopefully, they can say that again, at least, on Saturday "