Mike 'Coach K' Krzyzewski and Duke Advance to Last March Madness Elite 8 of His Career

The Duke Blue Devils will face the University of Arkansas on Saturday for their chance to move on to the Final Four

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils looks on with his wife, Mickie Krzyzewski, after coaching his final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 05, 2022 in Durham, North Carolina. The Duke Blue Devils lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels 94-81.
Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty

The Blue Devils are pulling out all the stops for the final games of Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski's career at the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Duke advanced to the Elite Eight on Thursday with a 78-73 win over Texas Tech at Chase Center in San Francisco. The team had a strong second half and outscored the Red Raiders by nine following a four-point deficit at halftime.

"It was like a Catholic boys' choir," Krzyzewski told reporters about the changes they made heading into the final minutes of the game, according to ESPN.

"It was a chorus," he added. "They all said it. They all said it, and they said it with enthusiasm: 'We want to do this. We want to go man.' God bless them. What a great group, these kids. They've grown up so much in the last 12 days. It's such a joy. It's an amazing thing."

The win is part of the team's push to earn Krzyzewski, who announced last year that the 2021-2022 season would be his last, the 13th Final Four appearance of his career, and possibly his sixth NCAA Tournament win.

This year's edition of March Madness has been full of surprises, with Gonzaga University, previously the favorite to win it all, being eliminated from the tournament by the University of Arkansas during the Sweet 16.

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils looks on as he is recognized prior to a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 05, 2022 in Durham, North Carolina.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty

Four games will take place Friday to decide the final spots in the Elite Eight:

  • Providence vs. Kansas
  • Iowa State vs. Miami
  • UNC vs. UCLA
  • Saint Peter's vs. Purdue

While the tournament is far from over, Krzyzewski said he is proud of what his team has accomplished so far.

"Boy," he told reporters. "My guys are really doing a great job."

Along with the late John Wooden, he is considered one of the best college basketball coaches of all time.

Krzyzewski took over as Duke head coach in 1980 after five seasons at the helm of the Army Cadets at West Point Military Academy, which followed his five-year stint as an officer in the U.S. Army.

Under Krzyzewski's first three seasons of leadership, Duke went 38-47. But Krzyzewski managed to turn the program around, and the Blue Devils went on to win the NCAA championship in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015.

Krzyzewski has been named Coach of the Year 12 times in eight seasons, according to the university, and was named ACC Coach of the Year five times.

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Krzyzewski also coached the U.S. men's national team several times, including when the team won a gold medal at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics.

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