Bob Knight had a special message for Mike Krzyzewski when the two spoke during a prerecording of Duke head coach’s radio show earlier in the season.
“[Knight] says to me, ‘Michael... will you tell your kids to win these next three games real quick,’” Krzyzewski said. “‘I’m getting tired of saying nice things about you.’”
Knight moved a step closer to his wish Saturday as the Blue Devils beat Presbyterian 96-55 at Cameron Indoor Stadium for Krzyzewski’s 902nd career head coaching victory. The win tied the him for the all-time NCAA Division I men’s basketball lead with Knight, his mentor and former coach at Army. Krzyzewski was Knight’s point guard at Army from 1967-69, graduating two years before Knight took over at Indiana, which he coached to 662 wins in 29 years. Krzyzewski served as a graduate assistant under Knight with the Hoosiers in 1975 before returning to West Point to become head coach at Army.
“It’s kind of neat to have that relationship with him,” Krzyzewski said. “We have a very loving, strong friendship. He’s had such an influence on my coaching career. No question about it.”
Krzyzewski now owns a career record of 902-284, 829-225 in his 32 seasons with the Blue Devils. His first chance at a record-breaking 903rd victory comes Tuesday against Michigan State at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s kind of hard to believe, really,” Krzyzewski said. “We only won 38 games in my first three years. [Since then] we’ve had seasons where we’ve won almost that many.”
The Blue Devils have won 69 games since the beginning of the 2009-10 season, a feat that took over four seasons to accomplish upon Krzyzewski’s arrival prior to the 1980-81 season.
After Saturday’s win over the Blue Hose, Krzyzewski was mobbed by his team after he finished a postgame interview, forming an impromptu celebratory huddle on the court across from the visitor’s bench.
“Whenever an individual coaching honor occurs, it’s because of your players and your assistants and the infrastructure you build,” Krzyzewski said. “You’re just a recipient of a lot of good things then because you’re the head of it. Good players and unselfish kids win a lot of ballgames.”
Six Duke players scored in double figures against Presbyterian, which was picked in the preseason to finish seventh in the Big South conference. Ryan Kelly combined with Mason and Miles Plumlee to make 17-of-25 field goal attempts for 43 points.
Kelly led all scorers with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting off the bench.
“[Krzyzewski] approaches each game individually,” Kelly, who helped organize the on-court team celebration after the game, said. “He’s worried about our team winning. Numbers are something he’ll worry about when he’s done with his coaching career, but for now we’re just worrying about ourselves.”
The Blue Devils committed just 10 turnovers against the Blue Hose—compared to 19 in Friday’s game—largely behind the improved play of Austin Rivers, who had five against Belmont but none the next day. The freshman also had six assists against Presbyterian, a marked improvement of the type Krzyzewski is most focused on at this point in the season—even over his impending record-breaking victory.
“I’m not minimizing it, but [breaking the record] really will happen,” Krzyzewski said. “The development of my team will only happen right now.”
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