Duke Feeling 16 Once More

Finding a way to win has defined Duke’s remarkable success in the Mike Krzyzewski era.

And the Blue Devils’ resiliency is why “Coach K” now stands alone.

Duke outlasted Mississippi State, 63-55, in the second round Sunday of the Austin Regional at the Charlotte Coliseum, giving Krzyzewski a record 66 NCAA tournament victories.

Guard Daniel Ewing scored a game-high 22 points and made key plays in the final two minutes for the top-seeded Blue Devils (27-5), who overcame guard J.J. Redick’s second subpar shooting performance in as many games and a strong defensive effort from the ninth-seeded Bulldogs (23-11).

Duke advances to the Sweet 16 for the eighth successive season. It faces fifth-seeded Michigan State (24-6) in the regional semifinals.

Krzyzewski had shared the top tournament mark with former North Carolina coach Dean Smith, but he’s a solo act now.

“I’m not excited because of a record, I want to make that clear,” Krzyzewski said. “I’m excited because that’s what I’m supposed to be. If I wasn’t excited, I shouldn’t coach. That would be cheating the kids, and I’m lucky to be coaching these guys.

“When I stop being excited, passionate, angry or emotional about what I’m doing, well, then it would be time for me to leave.

“I’m very realistic about that. That’s why I never like to put a timetable on how long I’m going to coach. I’ll know as soon as I can’t do that.

“But right now, I do that. I’m as emotional and passionate about what I’m doing now as I ever have been, and that’s what these kids deserve.”

The Blue Devils also deserve a day off after defeating the Bulldogs, who worked the crowd almost as hard as they played.

Although Charlotte is about 150 miles from Durham, Coach Rick Stansbury tried to get the crowd on the Bulldogs’ side.

Cheerleaders stirred applause while walking throughout the sold-out 23,000-seat arena toward the end of North Carolina’s 92-65 victory over Iowa State in the Syracuse Regional, and many in the pro-Tar Heel crowd wished the Bulldogs’ good luck against archrival Duke.

Duke, however, is accustomed to the villain role.

“You’re either going to love us or hate us,” Ewing said. “We’re just like the Yankees -- we win.”

Duke took a 30-22 halftime lead and twice extended it to 11 points early in the second half. But Mississippi State rallied behind forward Lawrence Roberts -- last season’s Southeastern Conference player of the year -- who scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

The Bulldogs took a 41-40 lead with 11:31 remaining on point guard Gary Ervin’s only field goal in eight attempts. Duke quickly reclaimed the lead and went ahead by as many as five points.

But Mississippi State pulled even at 50-50 on guard Winsome Frazier’s three-pointer at the 5:38 mark.

The Bulldogs’ starting backcourt of Ervin and Frazier combined to shoot three for 18.

“It was tough to score,” Krzyzewski said. “Both teams.... They played good defense and we played good defense too.”

Duke center Shelden Williams, who had 13 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots, gave the Blue Devils the lead for good, 53-50, with 4:20 to play after being fouled by Roberts on a layup and making the free throw.

Redick -- the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year -- was five for 17 after a one-for-seven performance in the first round. His jumper with 3:35 remaining put the Blue Devils ahead, 55-51.

Shane Power’s layup 19 seconds later made the score 55-53, and then neither team scored until Ewing’s putback on Redick’s missed layup with only 1:35 left. After Stansbury called a 20-second timeout, Roberts dunked on the Bulldogs’ next possession, putting the score at 57-55 with less than 90 seconds to go.

Ewing’s jumper with a minute left gave the Blue Devils a 59-55 cushion, and their defense again made the difference down the stretch.

“It seems like every big play that had to be made down the stretch, they made,” Stansbury said. “That’s why they are so successful.”