Mike Krzyzewski. (Photo by Todd Melet)
Could the universe get even with Coach K against Syracuse?
Duke is now the media favorite to win its sixth national championship. The tall and talented, if young, Blue Devils will have a size advantage over top-seeded Kansas in the Midwest Regional final, despite the Jayhawks-heavy support in Omaha.
But first, they must beat a Syracuse team they throttled during the ACC season by 16 points. But if you believe in karma and craftiness, the ‘Cuse will give Duke one helluva game tonight.
Mike Krzyzewski has received ample credit and criticism as the coach of USA Basketball and the American men’s team through three Olympics in Beijing, London and Rio. He made representing their country important again to NBA players, and his international record is 88-1. Great job, there.
But the criticism comes for much the same reason. In keeping the Olympic job for almost 12 years, Krzyzewski has raised his national profile above any other college coach and developed relationships with all those NBA stars. That association and pathway to the pros he can promise recruits is far beyond the scope of any competitor. Not fair, there.
An underrated benefit of USA Basketball was selecting as an assistant Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, whose teams play a 2-3 zone exclusively and who helped teach the defense to Coach K, a devotee of man-to-man for years. Now he is masking the inexperience of his freshmen by playing the zone he learned from Boeheim.
Anyone can put a zone in, you say? In theory, yes, but in practice, no. While the nuances are not as tough to teach as pressure man to kids who were in high school a year ago, zones can be shredded if not executed properly. Carolina did it to Duke for most of three meetings this season.
Syracuse, with much-needed rest after winning three NCAA games in five days, will be a lot tougher for Duke than people think. The Orange is playing with great confidence, and its zone could create new problems for the Blue Devils, who will have to hit a lot of outside shots to beat them easily again.
Those who’ve been crowing that Krzyzewski had an unfair advantage as Olympic coach, will be counting on the universe to manifest a huge upset win for the ‘Cuse.
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