Few coaches could dare be as successful as Mike Krzyzewski at Duke. In almost 42 years in Durham, Coach K has led the Blue Devils to fifteen 30-win seasons, 12 Final Fours, five national championship wins, all the while capturing the Naismith College Coach of the Year award on three separate occasions. He’s already a Basketball Hall of Famer (inducted in 2001) and is in the conversation for one of the greatest coaches ever, regardless of sport or league.
After such sustained excellence, Saturday evening was the last time Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski will have ever roamed courtside at Cameron Indoor Stadium. In what is both poetic and unequivocally planned, No. 4 Duke played historic rival North Carolina (who came in as an 11-point underdog on Saturday). The Tar Heels would win 94-81, but Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils, as usual, have higher aspirations.
What’s even better than Krzyzewski’s last home game against a rival is that this year’s Duke has an excellent case for winning the Men’s National Championship. According to Tipico Sportsbook, Duke has +220 odds to make Krzyzewski’s 13th Final Four (with only Auburn, Arizona, Kentucky, and Gonzaga faring better) and +1200 odds to win the whole dance (which would make them fourth-best).
