Krzyzewski, Izzo set for final meeting in NCAA tourney

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — In a sport where the only lasting stars are the coaches, few are more recognizable than Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo.

Both have spent decades at the top of their profession, with national titles, Final Fours and enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

They’ve squared off far more frequently than usual for teams in different leagues, including on the sport’s biggest stage in the NCAA Tournament.

On Sunday, they’ll do it one final time.

“The game is bigger than normal,” Izzo said Saturday, adding later: “There’s going to be weird emotions on both sides of the scorers’ table.”

The second-seeded Blue Devils (29-6) and seventh-seeded Spartans (23-12) meet in the West Region's second round in a matchup that has more at stake than which team advances to next week’s Sweet 16 in San Francisco.

It’s a farewell to a series, entering its 16th meeting, between coaching buddies whose meetings have become a welcome staple on the nonconference schedule. It’s also a reminder of the changing college basketball landscape. Krzyzewski plans to retire after Duke’s final game, and a coaching rivalry like his with Izzo could become a thing of the past amid today's churn of coaching changes.

“It’s kind of hard for me to prepare,” Izzo said. “Everybody’s saying, ‘Are you going to end his career on this note? Are you going to do this? Are you going to do that?’

“First of all, I’m not going to do any of that. The players will hopefully find a way to win. But just think what he’s going through and his players are going through. Emotionally, it’s got to be an incredible — I can’t even imagine."

The resumes are just as incredible for the pair of tournament-tested coaches.

The 75-year-old Krzyzewski is the