By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Mike Krzyzewski passed Hall of Famer and former UCLA head coach John Wooden to make NCAA history with his 13th appearance in the tournament’s Final Four as the Duke Blue Devils beat Arkansas Razorbacks 78-69 Saturday.
Krzyzewski, 75, announced last year that the 2021-22 campaign would be his last active one as a head coach, and along with his historic run, he has accumulated 101 tournament wins. He is also the winningest head coach in NCAA history, leading Duke to five national champions in 1991, 1922, 2001, 2010, and 2015.
“So happy,” Krzyzewski said after the win, en route to his final run. “We call it crossing the bridge. There’s nothing like being a regional champ and going to Final Four and playing on Saturday with three other champions. It’s an amazing day.”
18-year-old forward AJ Griffin scored 18 points to lead the way for Duke and help Coach K make history, while Italian-American standout Paolo Banchero had 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Duke will next face the winner of the No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s and No. 8 seed North Carolina Elite Eight game in the Final Four semifinal.
Villanova Wildcats also moved to their seventh Final Four participation after beating the Houston Cougars 50-44 Saturday, as forward Jermaine Samuels led all scorers with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Wildcats also await the winner of the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks and 10. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes, which will complete the NCAA Final Four for this year.
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