Mike Krzyzewski denies making a comment insulting Oregon star Dillon Brooks.
For the Duke Blue Devils, the 2015-16 season was coming to a close at the hands of the Oregon Ducks during Thursday’s Sweet 16 game in Anaheim, Calif. With the final seconds ticking away, Ducks forward Dillon Brooks shot a deep three that went in and was the icing on the cake in the 82-68 win:
"Not to be outdone, Oregon’s Dillon Brooks also puts the final touch on his team’s win #MarchMadness https://t.co/6cWGpStwcf— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 25, 2016"
That play obviously didn’t sit well with Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who said something to Brooks as the two teams shook hands following the game:
Coach K didn't approve of Dillon Brooks' late 3 (Vine by @BleacherReport) https://t.co/Ixzze0qlTX
— Brendan 🏀 (@threezustrist) March 25, 2016
Brooks can be seeing saying “I’m sorry,” so Coach K must have lectured him about the shot. What was exactly said has become a question of he said, he said. Brooks said the legendary coach told the Ducks star he was “too good of a player to be showing off at the end.”
Coach K, asked about that in the post game press conference, adamantly denied saying such a thing:
"“I didn’t say that,” Krzyzewski said after the game. “You can say whatever you want. Dillon Brooks is a hell of a player. I said, ‘You’re a terrific player.’ And you can take whatever he said and then go with it, all right?”"
Brooks could be seen jawing with Duke players (a group that NEVER starts trouble with their opponents) throughout the course of the game, so you have to think he knew what he was doing. The Ducks now advance to the Elite Eight on Saturday, where they will take on the Oklahoma Sooners.
For more NCAA March Madness news, check out our NCAA March Madness page.