I have been the most outspoken, in a good way, about what they have done. I have said all along that they are part of the ACC," Krzyzewski said. "Over the years, the players, the coaches and the teams that have shared these unforgettable moments, I don’t know what it’s worth. It won’t be replicated."
To say Duke had an off-night from the floor might be an understatement. The Blue Devils shot 33.3 percent from the field for the game, including the opening stretch of the second half in which they missed 17-of-19 shots.
Three-point shooting—an area in which Duke usually excels—was not something the Blue Devils were able to lean on as they shot 5-for-24 from behind-the-arc. But the game's biggest shots—minus Jabari Parker's go-ahead dunk with 1:05 remaining—didn't come from the paint or from long range, but rather from the charity stripe.
more than
"Miracle Minute" J J Reddick cell phone incident
" It started with Lefty [Driesell] really. You talk about all these years, [Bob] Wade, then Gary [Williams] did an incredible job, and now Mark [Turgeon]," Krzyzewski said. "The one consistent factor is that they have been great games.”
Despite the constant chants of “Not our rivals,” by the Cameron Crazies, everything about the contest had rivalry written all over it—from the players’ chippy play to the epic finish in which Maryland’s Charles Mitchell’s hook shot over Hood’s outstretched arm came inches away from dropping in the bucket, bouncing on the rim three times before falling back to the court and into the arms of Amile Jefferson.
For a split-second, as Mitchell's shot hung on the rim with Parker and Hood looking on intently as Turgeon jumped up and down on the sideline, it looked as though Maryland would have the opportunity to end the series with three straight wins. But as it was with the "Miracle Minute", the basketball gods were on Duke's side Saturday night.Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.