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- This year’s NCAA Tournament will be Mike Krzyzewski’s last.
- Duke is hoping to play their March Madness games closer to where its head coach grew up.
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With March Madness around the corner, Duke basketball is feeling good about their chances at a No. 1 seed. As such, according to multiple reports, the university has requested to compete in the Midwest Regional.
While that may not seem like anything of note, it is atypical for the Blue Devils.
Each year, every school that is in the mix to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is asked by the selection committee which region that it would like to play in. Normally, the top teams are placed in the region that is closest to campus.
For Duke in 2022, that would be the East Regional in Philadelphia.
However, according to ESPN’s Wright Thompson and The Athletics’ Seth Davis, the Blue Devils have another plan in mind. They have requested to play in the Midwest Regional in Chicago instead of in Philly.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is set to retire at the end of the season, grew up in Chicago. Should Duke earn a No. 1 seed, it would like to give its head coach of 42 years something of a homecoming as he closes out his career.
Source confirms to @TheAthleticCBB what ESPN's Wright Thompson first reported: Duke has requested to be placed in Midwest Regional (Chicago) instead of East (Philly). Chicago is Coach K's hometown. Higher seed normally goes to closest region but school decides preference.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 3, 2022
If the Blue Devils can retain its No. 4 ranking and earn a top seed, their request will be granted. If they cannot, their request will be ignored.
Duke currently hold a 26-4 record heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale against North Carolina, which will mark Krzyzewski’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Ticket prices for his last game are astronomical.
To keep the No. 1 seed, Coach K and his team will need to beat the Tarheels and likely has to make a little run in the ACC Tournament. A lot can change between now and the bracket release and the Blue Devils have to play themselves into a top seed in order to ensure that Krzyzewski can return home to Chicago one last time.