AUSTIN, Texas — With 14 seconds left on the clock Friday night, head coach Mike Krzyzewski took Daniel Ewing’s hand, looked him in the eyes and shared words with the senior before putting his arms around his two-year captain.
Biting his lower lip to hold back the tears, Ewing took a seat and watched the final seconds of his collegiate career, clutched by the arms of his teammates. Krzyzewski had called a timeout before taking his senior captain out of the game.
“Especially because he’s in Texas and this is where he ended his high school career, I thought it was a time where it should be Daniel’s moment. Michigan State, with 14.8 seconds left, was going to have their moment,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s been incredible, and he deserved to have his moment right there—even if it wasn’t going to be a winning moment—with the team.”
Four years ago, Ewing led his Willowridge High School team to a 5A state championship here at the Frank Erwin Center. He shared that stage with the likes of Baylor guard Kenny Taylor and Milwaukee Buck and former Texas star T.J. Ford, who returned to his alma mater to support his friend.
Despite the 78-68 loss to Michigan State, Ewing finished his last season Friday night as the winningest player in college basketball. In four years, he amassed 115 wins, three ACC Tournament titles and an ACC Tournament MVP award, while helping his team reach four Sweet 16s as well as last year’s Final Four.
Ewing was called upon for leadership at the start of the season as the only senior expecting to play major minutes for the Blue Devils. Often characterized as a quiet individual, Ewing wanted his actions to do the talking for him. He averaged 15.3 points per game, shooting 42.7 percent from the field this year.
“I think Daniel’s handled being a senior really well,” Krzyzewski said before the Sweet 16. “Really he’s played better in the last few weeks. He’s had a really good year, but he’s played better in his last go- around.”
After the regional semifinal against the Spartans when he scored 18 points, Ewing was visibly disappointed but by no means defeated.
“I have no regrets about the season or about my career,” he said. “This season here has probably been the most special season I’ve had. This group of guys, what we’ve been through and what we’ve overcome and accomplished as a team—the togetherness that we’ve had to come this far, it’s really special.”
Throughout his career, Ewing has consistently played better in the postseason, averaging more points and earning ACC Tournament MVP in 2003.
“Ewing, you’ve got to love the kid,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said. “He just keeps competing. He gets a big steal and buries that big three—there was no quitting in Duke.”
As he watched the end of the game from the bench, Ewing savored those last moments.
“I’m just really sad that it’s all over,” Ewing said. “Not being able to put on this Duke uniform, not being able to step out on the court with Coach K again, that’s the biggest emotional part of me right now. Just knowing that there are no more chances for me to play in this tournament, reality is sinking in that it’s my time to move on.”
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