A day after earning a trip to the Final Four, it was difficult for Duke to find too much to complain about.
With the exception of a team meeting, the players had the day off from practice. There was media from all over the country swarming Cameron, but that's become old hat now. The hardest part was maybe just letting the magnitude of the win over Temple sink in.
"It hasn't really hit me yet," Will Avery said. "Maybe when we start practicing and realize, 'Hey, we're playing for a national championship,' it will hit us."
What has already hit the players is the reality that they have reached their final weekend, which means they are playing for the national title.
But they are also getting ready to wrap up the season as teammates. Most teams can never anticipate the end, not knowing when the final buzzer will sound.
Duke is well aware of its situation.
"Me and Chris Carrawell had lunch [yesterday] and we were talking about it being the last time we would be together," Avery said. "We've had a great year. This team has probably been the most together team I've ever played on. Even with the age difference, having Trajan as a fifth-year senior and a lot of the young guys.
"We've just been able to get along so well. It's going to be very sad for it to end. All we have left is this week."
Mike Krzyzewski intends to make sure the players savor the moment during the upcoming week. He is quick to point out that he wants to win a national championship, a goal that is just two games away, but hopes the players can enjoy the experience.
Despite the fact the coach has reached the Final Four eight times, and this is the players' first, he doesn't think the experience will be any different in comparison.
"I hope I don't get put in the situation where I'm not caught up in the excitement of it," he said. "It's not like, 'Oh, I've been here before and I'm too cool for it.' I'm really excited about it. To be going to the Final Four is great, each one. I want this to be a good moment for me too. I want to be one of the group, not just the leader of the group."
Of course for Duke's other leader, Trajan Langdon, this is an experience he has to relish. After all, it's his last one.
That, however, is when the desire to win a championship overrides any sadness about closing out a college career. Come next Tuesday, the senior captain will have plenty of time to reminisce. Just not yet.
"It's going to be very emotional whenever it happens, whenever the season is over," Langdon said. "This is the most special team that I've ever been a part of. It's going to be tough to look back on my career knowing it's over.
"But when I come out on the court, I'll be ready to play."
When the Blue Devils return to practice today, they will get back to worrying about Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State's offensive rebounding and all of the other details about Saturday's matchup.
Yesterday, though, gave Duke a chance to appreciate its return to the Final Four. As Krzyzewski said, it's a matter of "enjoying the moment."
"It's one of those things where this team will never be together again," Chris Carrawell. "This is the last time. It's not one of those things like '91, '92, where all of the guys were coming back for another year. This is it, and we want to end it on top."
Notes: The team departs for St. Petersburg Thursday and will practice in Tropicana Field Friday.... Krzyzewski said all is well on the injury front, with no concerns heading into today's practice.
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