Coach Mike Krzyzewski will be confronted with a familiar face this Saturday, when the No. 1 Blue Devils (7-0) travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the Michigan Wolverines (3-3) at 2 p.m. in Crisler Arena. However, for the first time, Duke alum Tommy Amaker will not be on Krzyzewski's side but will instead be trying to execute an upset as the first-year coach of the unranked Wolverines.
Amaker played for Krzyzewski at Duke between 1984 and 1987, leading the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament bids. Soon after graduating, he took over as an assistant coach for the Blue Devils, roaming the sidelines alongside Krzyzewski for nine successful seasons before accepting the head-coaching job at Seton Hall. There he spent three up-and-down years before deciding to make the move to Michigan.
"Tommy was here for a long time," Krzyzewski said. "There is nobody here except me who has been here longer as a player and coach. He gave such a great foundation for this program. He was a great point guard--that missing ingredient for the team--and then he was a fabulous assistant."
Krzyzewski, who usually avoids scheduling games against teams coached by his former players or assistant coaches, was trapped into playing Amaker's squad when Amaker replaced Brian Ellerbe as the Wolverines' coach this past spring.
The two teams, which have played annually for years, could not cancel the games this year or next, although after next season the series will be discontinued indefinitely.
Although the coaching matchup is delicious, the game itself, which is nationally televised on CBS, is far less enticing.
Amaker has experienced some difficulties in his first few games at Michigan, watching his team lose to less-than-powerhouse teams like Western Michigan and Bowling Green. They could be in for a long night against Duke, especially if last year's matchup with the Blue Devils is any indication.
In that game, the Blue Devils came out on fire, taking a 59-18 lead into halftime and eventually drubbing the Wolverines by a final score of 104-61.
Forward Mike Dunleavy expects much more of a challenge this year.
"Last year was something that will never be replicated," Dunleavy said. "They're really well-coached... [and] they've got a lot of guys back from last year, so it's going to be a tough game."
Dunleavy will likely draw the responsibility of guarding LaVell Blanchard, a Wooden Award candidate and Michigan's leading scorer and rebounder.
"He's a really good player," Dunleavy said. "I played against him a lot in high school. It'll be a real challenge for me."
Krzyzewski expects a challenge for the whole team.
"I'm excited to go up there," Krzyzewski said. "I think Tommy's going to build a great program up there. [He's] done a good job with that team [this year], so it'll be a difficult game for us."
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