NEW ORLEANS — The noise came from the opposite corner of the court, like a jet engine roaring behind Mike Krzyzewski as he walked away from it. In this moment, he was surrounded by tens of thousands, but very much alone.
He had waited for the North Carolina players and coaches to gather themselves before moving toward them, and spoke at length to several of them, but now that was over, and they went dancing back toward their fans, overflowing with joy as Krzyzewski walked the other direction, for the last time.
This was the end of so many things: Duke’s season, a legendary career, and suddenly, this rivalry as we knew it.
