After losing to UNC in the Final Four, Duke players didn’t linger around to shake hands with their opponents, instead heading straight to the locker room.
On Saturday night, Duke and UNC played one of the most talked about and closely fought games in NCAA Tournament history.
North Carolina’s 81-77 victory was the show everyone had hoped for. There were a lot of lead changes and late dramas.
Unfortunately, the losing team’s reaction didn’t quite match the spectacle in the end.
The majority of the Blue Devils did not shake hands with the other team after the game, as is customary.
After Duke’s Final Four loss, some Duke basketball players refused to shake UNC’s hand.
After such a painful loss to a hated rival, it’s understandable that players would feel distraught. That isn’t the problem.
The Blue Devils’ refusal to join in the handshake line was an insult to North Carolina. But it was also disrespectful to Mike Krzyzewski, the retiring head coach.
It was Coach K’s final game as a head coach. Despite his disappointment, he stepped forward and joined the handshake line. While a few Duke players were close by, the core of the team was not. That’s a pity.