"Coach K's final year, you really can't draw it better than that" - Duke product Jayson Tatum all hyped up for Blue Devils' Final Four clash with UNC
Mike Krzyzewski will make one more appearance in the Final Four with his Duke Blue Devils in a setting befitting of a legendary coaching career.
The ninth-ranked Blue Devils (32-6) will take on their bitter rivals, the unranked North Carolina Tar Heels (28-9), on Saturday in the second national semifinal.
Third-ranked Kansas (31-6) plays sixth-ranked Villanova (30-7) in the first national semifinal in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The drama will build throughout the week. It seems too good to be true that UNC is the only team standing in the way of Coach K getting to a final national championship game. The teams have met 257 times – but never in the NCAA Tournament. Never with the stakes so high.
Former Duke star Jayson Tatum spoke to The Athletic about the storyline:
"Coach K's final year. You really can't draw it up better than that."
Jayson Tatum is all for the Duke-UNC Final Four showdown. https://t.co/DtvRQSmD8n
Coach K prepares for Duke's Final Four showdown against North Carolina
There is great anticipation as the Duke Blue Devils prepare for their Final Four showdown against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Although the realization that it could be the final game for Coach K will take the spotlight, both have had successful NCAA Tournament runs.
You’re a bad man @caleb2love 😤
#CarolinaFamily | #MarchMadness
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The Blue Devils suffered a pair of upsets to unranked teams before Selection Sunday and looked like they were on thin ice. But Duke, the No. 2 seed in the West, has fired on all cylinders in March Madness.
First, North Carolina spoiled Krzyzewski's final home game 94-81 on March 5. Then, Virginia shocked Duke 82-67 in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Championship game on March 12. However, Duke survived strong tests from Michigan State (85-76), Texas Tech (78-73) and Arkansas (78-69) to reach Coach K's record 13th Final Four.
Meanwhile, the Tar Heels have rallied behind the strong play of electric guard Caleb Love and veteran big man Armando Bacot.
UNC, ranked 19th in the preseason poll, was 12-6 in January and had lost all of its three big preconference tests to ranked Purdue, Tennessee and Kentucky. The Tar Heels have gone 16-3 since, including reversing an 87-67 home loss to Duke on Feb. 5.
In the NCAA Tournament, they took down top-seeded and fourth-ranked Baylor 93-86 in overtime in the second round and 11th-ranked UCLA 73-66 in the Sweet 16.
UNC, seeded eighth in the East, is in its NCAA-record 21st Final Four.