Cal One of 13 Teams With Winning Mark Against Coach K
When No. 1 Duke plays California at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, coach Mike Krzyzewski will get the chance to eliminate a rare black mark on his Hall of Fame coaching record.
Cal is 2-1 against Coach K, all time, making the Golden Bears one of just 13 teams with a winning record against college basketball’s winningest coach.
In December, 1982, Cal posted a 76-71 home win over Krzyzewski’s third Duke team, which would go on to an 11-17 record. Just over 11 years later, Cal moved to 2-0 against Coach K when Jason Kidd led the Bears to a 82-77 win over Duke, snapping a 12-game NCAA Tournament winning streak for the Blue Devils.
In Duke’s run to the 2010 NCAA title, Krzyzewski got one of those games back, beating Cal in the second round, 68-53. He’s waited nine seasons for the chance to even his record.
Cal is one of three Pac-12 teams with a winning record against Krzyzewski.
Arizona is 5-3 against him, the most wins by any team with a winning record against Coach K.
The Wildcats beat Duke in 1987 and 1989. After Duke won in 1990, Arizona took a double-overtime struggle in 1991. After Duke won in 1997, the Blue Devils evened the series in the 2001 National Championship Game. Arizona has won the last two, bouncing Duke from the 2011 tournament and winning in 2013 Preseason NIT.
Stanford is 2-1 against K, with wins in 1999 and 2000. Duke got one back in 2014 in the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic.
Three SEC teams also have Krzyzewski’s number. South Carolina won its only meeting with him, in Greenville, SC in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas is 2-1 against Duke. The Blue Devils beat the Razorbacks in the 1990 Final Four, then lost the following November. Duke lost to Arkansas in the 1994 National Championship Game in Charlotte.
Tennessee, like the other remaining seven teams, all helped build their winning record against Coach K while Krzyzewski coached at Army. The Vols posted a win over the Cadets before Krzyzewski came to Duke. The Blue Devils and Vols have split two games since Coach K has been in charge for a 2-1 Tennessee edge.
Wagner split two games with Krzyzewski at Army, then upset the Blue Devils at Cameron in 1982-83 to take a 2-1 mark.
Lafayette built a 4-1 record against Krzyzewski at Army and hasn’t played Duke since Coach K made the switch. Holy Cross won four straight while K was at Army. He’s won both games at Duke for a 4-2 Holy Cross mark.
Kings College, Long Island, Middle Tennessee and South Alabama all won their only game against Coach K while he was at Army.
