Mike Krzyzewski’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday was supposed to be a coronation, the triumphant conclusion to a yearlong victory lap. But UNC had other ideas, spoiling Coach K’s final home game with a stunning upset of fourth-ranked Duke. Krzyzewski didn’t seem to appreciate North Carolina raining on his parade, calling the Blue Devils’ performance “unacceptable” while scolding students for talking during his post-game speech.
Not only did their hated rival throw a wrench in Duke’s farewell to the winningest coach in NCAA history, but a month earlier, the Tar Heels declined to honor Krzyzewski during his final trip to Chapel Hill, a snub the Blue Devils are still seething over. “Duke won the first game against Carolina,” Wright Thompson wrote in a profile for ESPN Magazine. “Folks inside the program bristled that the Tar Heels didn't honor Krzyzewski during the game.”
Countless alums—Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and JJ Redick among them—were in the building for Coach K’s swan song, which broke the record for the most expensive ticket in college hoops history. Students camped outside the arena for over a month in hopes of scoring seats to Krzyzewski’s historic final game in Durham, only to have UNC ruin what was supposed to be a day of celebration.
Critics have been quick to point out the self-congratulatory, navel-gazing nature of Krzyzewski’s prolonged farewell tour in stark contrast to coach Roy Williams’ comparatively muted retirement from North Carolina last offseason. Still, if any coach was deserving of such fanfare it would be Krzyzewski, a five-time NCAA National Champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist for Team USA. Krzyzewski has been honored nearly everywhere he’s gone this season, receiving gifts and tokens of appreciation from Syracuse, Virginia and Pitt, among other ACC rivals.
Saturday obviously wasn’t the sendoff fans—many of whom shelled out $5,000+ for tickets—had hoped for, though administrators had to have known the risk in scheduling UNC, traditionally among the top programs in college basketball, for Krzyzewski’s final home game. Duke and North Carolina could potentially square off in this week’s ACC Tournament at Barclays Center, though it would have to be in Saturday’s title game.
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