Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski began the final calendar year of his legendary coaching career with a victory Tuesday night as the No. 2 Blue Devils knocked off Georgia Tech 69-57 in their first game since Dec. 22. But the win came came with a little extracurricular drama involving Coach K and Georgia Tech star guard Michael Devoe.
Devoe appeared to point at Krzyzewski after making a layup with 5:51 remaining that cut the Yellow Jackets' deficit to 55-47. Devoe's gesture came as Krzyzewski was signaling for a timeout, and it clearly did not sit well with the Hall of Fame coach. Krzyzewski had a long discussion with an official after the exchange, and despite the fact that the teams did not go through a traditional postgame handshake line, Krzyzewski spoke to Devoe after the game. He then had a long talk with Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner.
Krzyzewski did not address the exchange in his postgame press conference, but Devoe did. Devoe said he said he grew up a Duke fan and that his emotions were running high during the game.
"He said 'you don't know who you're talking to,'" Devoe recalled of his exchange with Krzyzewski. "But I was just trying to compete with them. That's all there was. So I guess he took it the wrong way. But me as a competitor, I want to beat Duke."
It's not the first time Coach K has had a run in with an opposing player. He famously scolded former Oregon star Dillon Brooks after Duke's loss to Oregon in the 2016 Sweet 16. This one came in a game with dramatically lower stakes. However, the ordeal prompted a lengthy response from Pastner, who described Devoe as "a really good kid."
"No matter what the situation is, no player should ever talk to an opposing coach," Pastner said. "I would talk to Michael and have that private conversation with him. I know Michael Devoe has nothing but the highest level of respect for Coach K. I think anybody in the game of basketball or the game of life would have the same in terms of the highest level of respect, because not only is he one of the greatest in the history of the sport as a coach but he's also just a great human being as well, too. He's done so much for people and he's a good man."
Krzyzewski is retiring after this season, which will be his 42nd as Duke's coach, and handing the program over to his assistant and former Duke star Jon Scheyer. As Krzyzewski's final season continues, we will update this piece with the latest tributes -- and tribulations -- from the farewell tour of a coaching legend.
How to watch Duke vs. Miami live
Date: Saturday, Jan. 8 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium -- Durham, North Carolina
TV: ACC Network | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
COVID-19 pause and Devoe drama
Duke began ACC play with a 76-65 home win over Virginia Tech on Dec. 22 but then a speed bump. As much of college basketball dealt with scheduling disruptions due to COVID-19 issues, the Blue Devils were among those hit by the virus. That kept them from playing their second and third league games as scheduled against Clemson and Notre Dame, meaning Duke's second ACC game didn't come until Jan. 4 against Georgia Tech.
The pause didn't seem to bother the Blue Devils too much as they knocked off the Yellow Jackets 69-57 in their first game back. The game featured some extracurricular drama as Krzyzewski and Georgia Tech star Michael Devoe exchanged words late in the second half after Devoe pointed at Coach K and the Duke bench following a basket that prompted a Duke timeout.
"He said 'you don't know who you're talking to,'" Devoe recalled of his exchange with Krzyzewski. "But I was just trying to compete with them. That's all there was. So I guess he took it the wrong way. But me as a competitor, I want to beat Duke."
Returning from break
Duke had a two-week hiatus between games spanning the first two weeks of December amid the final exam period for the university. But it returned with a 103-62 win over South Carolina State on Dec. 14 and followed that with a 92-67 victory over Appalachian State on Dec. 16. It was supposed to play Loyola (Maryland) on Dec. 18, but the meeting was canceled because of a COVID-19 issue within the Loyola program. Replacement opponent Cleveland State also had to cancel on Duke because of the same issue, which left the Blue Devils scrambling to find a third potential opponent for the slot. Elon agreed to play on short notice, giving Duke one final tune-up before ACC play.
The wins over South Carolina State and Appalachian State were two of the best games yet for freshman forward AJ Griffin. He made 5 of 9 attempts from 3-point range over those contests to bolster the team's perimeter shooting outlook after it struggled in that facet during the first month of the season.
Short stay at No. 1
Just one day after rising to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 on the heels of a thrilling win over Gonzaga, Duke dropped a 71-66 decision at Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Buckeyes outscored Duke 41-23 in the second half and roared back from a 15-point deficit behind a 20-point night from sophomore big man Zed Key. Wendell Moore Jr. led the Blue Devils with 17, and Paolo Banchero added 14. But Banchero struggled in the second half, going 0-for-7 from the field in the second half.
Knocking off the Zags, rising to No. 1
Duke improved to 7-0 with an 84-81 win over No. 1 Gonzaga on Nov. 26 in front of a crowd of 20,389 at T-Mobile Arena. It was the largest crowd to ever see a basketball game in Nevada, and they were treated to a thriller. Paolo Banchero scored 20 points in the first half before dealing with cramps in the second half and going quiet. Wendell Moore Jr. picked up the slack by scoring 16 of his 20 points in the second half.
The victory improved Krzyzewski to 7-11 all-time against No. 1 ranked teams, and it catapulted the Blue Devils to No. 1 in the new set of rankings released three days later.
Getting ready for Gonzaga
Duke easily won games against Lafayette and The Citadel on Nov. 19 and Nov. 22 as it prepared to face No. 1 Gonzaga on Nov. 26. The Blue Devils beat Lafayette 88-55 behind a 23-point outing from Wendell Moore Jr. Duke beat The Citadel 107-81 behind a combined 50 points from Moore and Paolo Banchero. There was a scary moment in the Citadel game, when Bulldogs' coach Duggar Baucom collapsed on the court in the first half. He stayed overnight at Duke University Hospital and was released the afternoon after the game.
DWI charge for grandson
An otherwise sterling start to Krzyzewski's final season hit a speed bump in the early morning hours of Nov. 14, when Duke walk-on Michael Savarino, who is Krzyzewski's grandson, was arrested for suspicion of DWI. Complicating matters, Duke star freshman Paolo Banchero was a passenger in the vehicle and was cited for aiding and abetting DWI. But while Savarino was suspended, Banchero was not held out of any game action, as Krzyzewski explained "it's two different situations."
"Headlines might make it look like it's the same," he said. "It's not. I think the decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities, my superiors."
West Point flashback
Duke played host to Army West Point on Nov. 12 in its home opener as part of the Duke Veterans Day Weekend Showcase. The Blue Devils won 82-56, but the game carried special significance because Army is where Krzyzewski both played and first served as a head coach. Between his four years as a student at Army and five as the coach, Krzyzewski spent nearly a decade of his young adult life in West Point. Army explored his history with the program in a special tribute video released before the game.
Garden party
Krzyzewski's final season began on a big stage, with the Blue Devils beating Kentucky at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 9 in the Champions Classic. The venue is one of Krzyzewski's favorites, and it offered a parting gift to the legendary coach. Krzyzewski is now 34-11 all-time at Madison Square Garden, and that record will remain unchanged unless the Blue Devils end up playing in the NIT, which would be nothing short of a disaster.
More on Coach K's final season
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