Retired Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is convinced of the Blue Devils’ chances to win the NCAA tournament. The team enters March Madness with a top seed after leading the ACC in the regular season and winning the conference tournament.
Retired Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is convinced of the Blue Devils’ chances to win the NCAA tournament. The team enters March Madness with a top seed after leading the ACC in the regular season and winning the conference tournament.
However, doubters still question the team’s chances of claiming the national championship title. This question was raised during Krzyzewski’s appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday. The legendary former Duke coach gave a reassuring response.
“No, we got a—Duke’s got a hell of a chance, for Christ’s sake!” Krzyzewski said. “And, you know, especially if we get our two injured guys back. But, you know, a really cool thing about the tournament? In the top four seeds, there’s 16 of them; nine of them come from the Big Ten and the Big 12. And what they’ve done, they’re spread out over the four regions. I’m using my hands. I didn’t use my hands until I started watching your show.”
The road to the national championship isn’t smooth for the Blue Devils, and the team has to begin without starting guard Caleb Foster. Foster is out with a fractured foot and is expected to miss most or all of the NCAA tournament.
Down the road, Jon Scheyer’s Duke may be facing Tom Izzo’s Michigan State, Rick Pitino’s St. John’s, Bill Self’s Kansas, or Danny Hurley’s UConn. The Blue Devils last played in the NCAA title game in 2015 under Mike Krzyzewksi, when they beat Wisconsin 68-63 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Mike Krzyzewski led the Blue Devils to five national championship titles, three of which were won in Indianapolis, including his first win in 1991. The retired coach won another NCAA title in Indianapolis in 2010.
This year’s title game is also set to be hosted in Indianapolis, holding a lot of history for the Blue Devils. The team hasn’t played in another national championship game since Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement in 2022.
The coach was succeeded by his former player, Scheyer, who has since taken the Blue Devils to Elite Eight and Final Four finishes.
Scheyer has led Duke to three conference tournament titles and two ACC regular season championships. However, the coach still has much to prove, especially on the national stage, where the ultimate prize has eluded him until now.
The Blue Devils will kick off their March Madness run against the Siena Saints on Thursday, Mar. 19.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey – who is NCAAW’s highest-paid coach? Find out here
Leave a Reply