Coach K on Duke's Loss at NC State: "This Isn't an XBox Game. It's a Human Being Game"
Duke shot just 10 of 22 from the free throw line in the 88-66 loss to NC State, which coach Mike Krzyzewski said was a symptom of what was wrong with the team in the game.
“I think when you don’t come really ready to play (you miss free throws), because we missed them before we were tired,” he said.
Duke fell behind early and never recovered against a determined NC State team.
“I thought our guys took the play that was just played to the next play,” Coach K said. “They were trying to make up for the play they didn’t’ make, and they hurried. We weren’t in synch. You have to have amnesia to whatever just happened. We were always a step behind, at least a step behind, tonight.”
Krzyzewski didn’t want to break down matchups or go into detail about where NC State was better or what Duke needed to improve. The explanation was a simple one, in his mind.
“They were just playing hungrier and better,” he said of NC State. “This isn’t an XBox game. This is a human being game. That XBox thing doesn’t have human nature in it and all that. That’s why a lot of people play it. This game is about human nature and human things. Sometimes when you eat too much, you’re not as hungry. When you need something, you’re really hungry. And when those two meet, a lot of times, the team that needs it the most kicks the other team’s butt, and that’s what happened tonight.”
