On Tuesday, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and Hubert Davis held staggered press conferences before both teams leave for New Orleans Wednesday and the Final Four. Duke and Carolina play the second game in the national semifinals Saturday at the Superdome. Tipoff time is scheduled for 8:49 pm.
Here are excerpts from Krzyzewski’s press conference at Duke, in which he talked about the rivalry between the programs and their final match-up in his coaching career.
QUESTION:
Are you surprised this has never happened before with you and Carolina playing each other?
KRZYZEWSKI: I haven’t looked at it as us against Carolina. I’ve looked at us, we’re playing in the final four. The closest we came was in 1991, when we were both in the Final Four and Kansas and Carolina played the game before we played Vegas. Either we both were going to be eliminated or won, so you had a chance to play for the national championship. So that was the closest. Then it would’ve been for everything; that would’ve been something.
QUESTION:
Strategically, what are some of the challenges of playing Carolina a third time?
KRZYZEWSKI: I really think each of us was a different team. We were a different when we played over there and so were they when we played ’em here. They had developed into an outstanding team and we weren’t at that time. And so to me, I think we’re going to have two really good teams play against one another. Whereas the last two games, we were better than them at that point. And they were better than us at the other point. And now we’ll see what happens. I really don’t draw anything that much from those games. I draw more from watching them, not against us, but against other teams because they’re really playing well.
QUESTION:
What do you notice in Caleb Love in games like against UCLA when he can really go off versus other games this season where he’s really struggled in the field, what makes him a player that’s capable?
KRZYZEWSKI: He is really good and he’s not going to let poor shooting performance in a half or in a game affect him because he has belief in himself. And he also has the belief of his coaching staff. You don’t see them telling him don’t shoot. That’s one of the reasons they’re a good team because they have belief in one another, whether it’s going great or not so great. The next play might be great. And that’s how you get to the Final Four.
QUESTION:
Are there any lessons to take from all the hype, the extracurricular stuff around the Carolina game here that you can apply to being on the biggest stage?
KRZYZEWSKI: In New Orleans, I’m trying not. And I don’t want to use that game. You can’t go into the Final Four just thinking rivalry, payback or any of those things. We want to win a championship, this is who we are now. Whoever we would play, we’ve got to beat them and then we’ve got to beat someone else. And if you go in with those other two things, there’s a good chance you’re not going to win. But if you did, you probably don’t win on Monday. We’ve got four teams playing for a national championship and that’s how I’m looking at it. And I know there’s going to be on TV, radio, a Duke guy, a Carolina guy, and they’re going to be talking stupid stuff, with one another. And that means nothing. But that’s what sport for fans is all about. It’s not for coaches and it’s not for players. We just stick to what we’re doing.
QUESTION:
Do you feel like you and Hubert worked out all the stuff that happened at the end of the last game?
KRZYZEWSKI: I never even worked anything out. You don’t talk about it. I didn’t know about it until two days later. And then by that time, everyone said it was okay. The ability to ignore noise is a big thing. And I try to do that. So with that happening, as long as it was done, it’s done.
QUESTION:
In a Sports Illustrated story from the 1990s, you said if Duke and Carolina played in the championship game, if one of us beat the other in the championship game, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. It would be horrible. This isn’t quite the championship game, but it’s as close as you can get. Do you still feel that way or do you feel differently?
KRZYZEWSKI: I was younger. I probably have learned from my mistakes in that regard. No matter what will still go on in some respects, the fan bases are different, you know? And with the proximity it evokes things that can’t be done in other areas. But I’m not going to be a part of it, and no matter what happens, I’m not going to be a part of it. Just like I’ve tried to be for the whole time I’ve lived here, we’ve always been the minority here.
Featured Photo via Todd Melet
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