Mike Krzyzewski's farewell tour as the longtime coach of Duke has set dates for April, as the perfect storybook finish is well within reach. The 75-year-old advanced to his record-setting 13th Final Four on Saturday, as the 2nd-seed Blue Devils defeated 4th-seed Arkansas, 78-69, in the West Regional final.
And for the first time in NCAA Tournament history, Duke will face its archrival, 8th-seed North Carolina, in the national semifinals next weekend. Call it the ultimate meeting of ACC foes, as the storied schools have never played each other in a true do-or-die tournament setting. Earlier this March, the unranked Tar Heels shocked and upset the Blue Devils inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, spoiling Krzyzewski's final home game.
"I think they're more even now than they were when Carolina won in Cameron because I think there was still something to prove for Carolina, going into that game," UNC reporter C.L. Brown explained to After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Monday. "They proved it, it was a confidence-booster for them. Ironically, losing that game for Duke was what they needed as well -- to get their focus for the tournament. I mean, that was a low point...
"To lose that game and to have Coach K give remarks right after on the court, that was a crazy situation. It was definitely a punch to the gut for Duke. Earlier in the year, I definitely would've said that Duke was the better team. But now, coming into Saturday, these teams are on even ground. And I'm excited about what kind of game it's going to be. I think it's definitely going to be played at a high level. It's going to be intense."
Duke, which won the ACC regular season crown, was never in clear danger of losing to Arkansas. They scored 45 points during the first half, led by 12 at the break, and refused to surrender the lead. Four of Duke's starters combined to score 60 points, and star center Mark Williams recorded a double-double with a dozen points and boards. It was Krzyzewski's record 101st tournament win.
As for North Carolina -- led by first-year head coach Hubert Davis -- they threw a Hollywood script in the shredder, crushing 15th-seed and Cinderella hopeful Saint Peter's, 69-49, in the East Regional final. Armando Bacot scored a team-high 20 points with 22 boards, and became the first player with 20 points and 20 rebounds in the Elite Eight or later since Hakeem Olajuwon (1983).
Duke and North Carolina are scheduled to tip-off at 8:49 p.m. ET on Saturday night, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, the Blue Devils currently have a 62-percent chance to make the championship game, set for Monday, April 4. The winner of this matchup will face either top-seed Kansas or 2nd-seed Villanova.
The entire March Madness conversation between Brown and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.