Duke Rips Arkansas, 78-69, As Coach K Reaches NCAA Record 13th Final Four – OutKick

Fittingly, Mike Krzyzewski’s ultimate chapter as Duke’s basketball coach shall be on the Remaining 4.

And win or lose, he’ll stand alone.

No. 2 seed Duke beat No. 4 seed Arkansas, 78-69, on Saturday evening within the NCAA Event West Area championship sport in San Francisco to ship Coach Okay to his NCAA record-breaking thirteenth Remaining 4. He broke the mark of 12 by the late UCLA coach John Picket, who final went in 1975 when he gained his tenth nationwide championship after saying his retirement at age 64 simply two days beforehand.

The Blue Devils (32-6) shall be after their sixth nationwide championship — all below Krzyzewski — of their first journey to the Remaining 4 since 2015 when Duke gained its fifth nationwide title. Krzyzewski, 75, introduced this may be his final season over the summer time.

“I’m so pleased,” Krzyzewski stated moments after the sport. “There’s nothing like successful a Regional championship and going to the Remaining 4 and enjoying on that Saturday three different champions. It’s an incredible day.”

Coach Okay Finds Mecca But Once more

Duke will play on Saturday on the Superdome in New Orleans in opposition to the winner of No. 8 seed North Carolina (27-9) and No. 15 seed Cinderella Saint Peter’s (22-11), which play on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Japanese on CBS.

Duke and North Carolina, positioned six miles aside, have probably the most heated rivalry in faculty basketball with 257 video games and North Carolina main 142-115, however they’ve by no means met in an NCAA Event. North Carolina additionally leads all faculties in Remaining 4 appearances with 20. Duke is fourth with 17. Saint Peter’s can be the very best seed ever to succeed in the Remaining 4.

No. 1 seed Kansas (31-6) meets No. 10 seed Miami (26-10) at 2:20 p.m. jap on Sunday on CBS to determine one other Remaining 4 entry. In different motion Saturday, No. 2 seed Villanova (30-7) superior to the Remaining 4 with a 50-44 win over No. 5 seed Houston (32-6).

Arkansas (28-9) completed within the Elite Eight for the second straight season below third-year coach Eric Musselman.

The Blue Devils managed the primary half and by no means trailed for the remainder of the sport after taking a 16-14 lead with 12:12 to go earlier than intermission. Duke outscored Arkansas 8-0 over the ultimate 1:26 of the primary half, taking a 45-33 lead on a three-pointer by Trevor Keels with two seconds to go.

Arkansas reduce it to 53-48 early within the second half, however Krzyzewski referred to as timeout with 13:13 left and went to a zone protection, which helped Duke defeat Texas Tech on Thursday. The Blue Devils then went on a 10-0 run to take their largest lead at 63-48, and it was over.

“They outplayed us at the beginning of the second half,” Krzyzewski stated. “They obtained it to 5. And after the timeout, we had been a unique workforce. Going zone helped us. We scored two straight instances, and that was huge.”

Freshman ahead AJ Griffin led Duke with 18 factors. Freshman ahead Paolo Banchero scored 16 with seven rebounds, and junior ahead Wendell Moore Jr. scored 14. Ahead Jaylin Williams scored 19 factors with 10 rebounds to guide Arkansas, however the Razorbacks’ protection couldn’t cease Duke’s balanced assault as six gamers scored 9 factors or extra.

“I can’t even put this into phrases proper now,” Moore stated. “We obtained a job carried out, however the job’s not completed. Two extra to go.”

Krzyzewski’s first journey to the Remaining 4 was in his sixth season as Duke’s head coach in 1986. He gained his first nationwide championship on his fifth journey in 1991. He stated Friday he wished one other Remaining 4, not just for his gamers.

“For me, too, come on,” he stated laughing. “You may solely give a lot to the church. You need one thing again, you recognize? A bit of little bit of forgiveness and fewer of a penance whenever you go within the field, you recognize? It might be a cool factor.”

Banchero referred to as it greater than that.

“We’ve been working since June for this,” he stated. “It’s actually surreal that we’re right here proper now on our approach to New Orleans for the Remaining 4. It’s a dream come true.”

A dozen desires plus one for Coach Okay.

“He’s the GOAT (best of all time),” Banchero stated.

“I’m on their bus,” Krzyzewski stated.