Coach K: Tre Jones' Will and Passion Permeated Our Whole Team

Point guard carried Duke to victory

As is usually the case in the Duke-Carolina rivalry, the visiting team had to face a loud, intense crowd. On Saturday night, that was the Blue Devils, playing in front of a pro-UNC crowd at the Smith Center.

“We’re both blessed with amazing families that support our teams in a crazy manner,” Krzyzewski said. “This is as tough a place for us to play in, and I would hope for them, we’re as tough a place for them to play in. I think the fans and the locations are two of the reasons why it’s the most storied rivalry. There’s a passion and emotion. Their fans brought it. We felt it the whole night.”

The crowd stayed engaged as UNC led for the entire second half. Duke’s Tre Jones kept the Blue Devils within striking distance by driving the lane and scoring layups on several consecutive possessions late in regulation.

“(We were looking for) whatever openings,” Krzyzewski said. “Cole (Anthony, UNC point guard) had four (fouls), so we tried to attack him a little bit. They don’t want him to foul out, and he doesn’t want to foul out. But Tre made some big-time buckets. It’s not like he’s making layups. The really outstanding guard makes layups. He practices that all the time, and thank goodness, because he did it.”

Jones finished with a game high 28, after entering the final minute of regulation with just 10.

“Tre was magnificent,” Coach K said. “His best game, because he not only scored and hit the big buckets, his will and his passion permeated throughout our whole team. It made us one and gave us a chance to hang in there and win.”