Krzyzewski K-O'd: North Carolina takes out coach, Duke 81-77

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — For the 48th time over 47 years of unparalleled coaching, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski took the slow walk to midcourt and shook the hand of the North Carolina coach who beat him.

After that, he found his wife, Mickie, and they made the slow, sad walk, hand-in-hand, off the Superdome floor. Saturday night's 81-77 setback in the national semifinals showdown marked Coach K's last loss, and one of his toughest losses, too.

And thanks to the Tar Heels — those gosh darn Tar Heels -- the 75-year-old coach will have plenty of time to get over it.

“I'm sure at some time, I'll deal with this in my own way,” the coach said.

Krzyzewski’s remarkable career came to sudden close after Caleb Love made a key 3-pointer and three late free throws to lift the Tar Heels to their thrill-a-minute victory.

This was the 258th, most consequential and maybe, just maybe, the very best meeting between these teams, whose arenas are separated by a scant 11 miles down in Tobacco Road.

The eighth-seeded Tar Heels (29-9), of all teams, pinned the 368th and final loss on Krzyzewski. His lifetime record against North Carolina fell to 50-48. Nos. 47 and 48 are ones Carolina fans will treasure forever. This one came exactly four weeks after the Tar Heels ruined the going-away party in Coach K's final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

That loss hurt. This one stopped the coach’s last-gasp, storybook run one win away from a title game and a chance at his sixth championship. Krzyzewski said he had a locker room full of crying players when when it was over.

“It's not about me,” he insisted. “Especially right now. I've said my entire career that I wanted my seasons to end where my team was either crying tears of joy or tears of sorrow.