Fansided

Mike Krzyzewski bans Duke players from wearing school apparel after loss

By Brad Berreman

Dec 21, 2016; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski argues a call in the first half against the Elon Phoenix at Greensboro Coliseum. Duke defeated Elon 72-61. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski argues a call in the first half against the Elon Phoenix at Greensboro Coliseum. Duke defeated Elon 72-61. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Coach Mike Krzyzewski may be away from the Duke basketball team right now, but that didn’t stop him from levying discipline on players.

The Duke men’s basketball team is 15-5 this season, but they lost at home to N.C. State Monday night for the first time since 1995 and the Blue Devils have lost three of their last four games.

Mike Krzyzewski is away from the team right now, as he recovers from back surgery, and Jeff Capel has taken over as head coach on an interim basis. But Coach K is clearly still paying attention to what’s going on with his team.

According to Jeff Goodman and Dana O’Neil of ESPN, after a team meeting at his house on Tuesday night, Krzyzewski temporarily banned Duke players from the locker room and he has also forbidden them from wearing Blue Devils apparel. When asked how long the penalties would last, “until they start living up to the standards of the Duke program” was the answer offered by a source.

Krzyzewski has apparently used this disciplinary tactic multiple times before. Coincidentally, or not, Duke’s next two games are on the road over a short time frame (at Wake Forest on Saturday, at Notre Dame next Monday night). So being banned from the home locker room is of little consequence in the short-term, outside of any structured practice that Capel would lead right now. In terms of being unable to wear Duke apparel, jerseys presumably won’t qualify two days from now when the players take the floor for a game. Unless whatever particular bee is in Coach K’s bonnet is eliminated in two days, then none of the current disciplinary action will carry any weight.

Next: Projected top 10 after Villanova, Kansas lose

Injuries to three highly touted freshmen early in the season and Grayson Allen’s ongoing struggles have been the primary issues for the Blue Devils so far this season. Issues with on-court chemistry will surely be figured out at some point. But Allen’s status as a lightning rod for criticism is not going away, and if he can’t break out of his funk Coach K’s eventual return may not prevent Duke from having an abbreviated NCAA Tournament run this year.