It used to be contact and opt for a lot of the sport, with Duke trailing its opponent for over 26 mins.
However the second-seeded Blue Devils held their nerve and made their ultimate 8 pictures to protected a spot within the subsequent spherical, the place they’ll face No. 4 seed Arkansas on Saturday.
It additionally manner Mike Krzyzewski’s tenure as Duke’s trainer continues as he bids to win the nationwide identify one ultimate time earlier than he retires on the finish of the season.
Krzyzewski’s large calls at the night time paid off as he gained his a hundredth NCAA event sport of his profession. The 75-year-old has been at Duke for a staggering 42 years.
“We wish it actual dangerous,” Duke guard Jeremy Roach instructed CBS, earlier than explaining Krzyzewski’s affect at the facet.
“He assists in keeping us motivated on a daily basis. He pushes us 110 p.c on a daily basis.”
Duke has now reached this degree of the contest in each and every of its ultimate 3 appearances within the NCAA event, however the purpose to win Krzyzewski’s 6th identify stays the concern.
“I am so glad for those guys. They have got grown up such a lot within the ultimate 10, 12 days,” Krzyzewski stated of his staff.
