The Blue Devils heaved a full-court pass that Christian Laettner caught at the free throw line. One dribble. Spin. With milliseconds to spare, he released a contested jumper. It was pure. Duke won 103-102 and punched a ticket to the title game.
Rick Pitino, Kentucky’s head coach, stood in disbelief. Stunned. He appeared emotionless, but deep down, he was heartbroken. For Kentucky, the season was over. After all that fighting, the Wildcats came out empty-handed.
Maybe that was the reason why decades later he kept a straight face after Dylan Darling hit a buzzer-beating layup to lift St. John’s past Kansas a week ago in this year’s March Madness. His restraint felt like empathy—he knows exactly what it’s like to be on the other side of a moment like that. Eventually, though, he allowed himself to smile. While he could feel for Kansas, it was his team still dancing.
“I’m hoping we can get Duke at the buzzer next,” Pitino said, smiling. “To make up for that Christian Laettner shot.”
Chance for redemption
Pitino’s wish came true. On Friday, St. John’s will square up against Duke in the Sweet 16 in a matchup loaded with history and tension. In a win-or-go-home setting, nothing will come easy.
Duke has earned the overall top seed, but it’s been quite a journey for the Blue Devils so far. They survived an upset scare in the first round against Siena; the Saints led for most of the game before Duke took over in the last few minutes and outlasted the No. 16 seed. Siena played resiliently, and the Blue Devils had to show astonishing character to come out victorious. What many thought was going to be a cake walk became a nail-biter as the favorite won 71-65.
Duke responded in the round of 32 with authority, dismantling TCU 81–58. The reigning ACC champions looked far more like themselves - efficient, confident, and in control. Finally, it seems like Duke has gained some momentum. They will need every bit of it as they take on St. John’s. Now coached by the legend, the Red Storm is hungry for an upset.
It’s been 35 years since these two teams clashed in the NCAA tournament. Last time, the Blue Devils prevailed and beat the Johnnies 78-61 to advance to the Final Four. A week later, Duke euphorically celebrated their first-ever national championship. This season, they are trying to get back on top. Duke hasn’t won the title since 2015 and is waiting for significant success in its post-Coach K era. St. John’s, meanwhile, has never won March Madness - but its head coach has. Twice.
Two different eras
The game is a generational faceoff. Behind Duke’s wheel is Jon Scheyer, who at 38 years old is one of the youngest Division I head coaches. A decorated former basketball player, Scheyer was hired as the Blue Devils’ head coach in 2022 following the retirement of Mike Krzyzewski.
For Duke, he was a familiar face. He played in Durham from 2006 to 2010 and won a national title his senior year. In 2014, he was hired as an assistant coach and stayed in the role - learning from one of the best coaching masterminds - until the promotion.
During his first-year stint, Scheyer took Duke to the second round. Next season, it was the Elite 8. Last year, the Blue Devils played in the Final Four. The next step is obvious – to win, lift up the trophy, and be crowned an NCAA champion. And while it is apparent, it is also challenging.
Scheyer learned from the best, and now he will face another great and experienced coach. On the other side stands Pitino, the only coach who won the title with two different schools. Doing so with Kentucky and Louisville, he is looking to add a third program to the list.
“The only thing I’d like to leave the fellow coaches? Just have fun in March Madness,” Pitino said. “I could be out of coaching next year. I really can be. You’re 73. And I want to have the greatest time of my life. I’m going to coach each game as if it’s the last game I’ll ever coach. If it’s next year, I’m going to coach next year as if it’s the last year I’m going to be on earth. And that’s the way I coach.”
Challenging underdog
Pitino may be old school, but he has adapted. A tactical mastermind, he will have a detailed plan to disrupt Duke’s balanced offense. The Blue Devils play with poise and confidence, shoot the ball well, and enjoy running in transition. Finding their offensive rhythm early will be critical – St. John’s plays a pesky, physical, disruptive defense, and they will want to force Duke into rushed shots and turnovers.
The Red Storm plans on bullying Duke into their playing style. Duke wants to stay fluid and controlled. Whichever team enforces its identity is likely to come out on top. Duke will need a big game from Cameron Boozer, while St. John’s will need to find their three-point accuracy and hit from deep.
The Blue Devils enter as the favorite – they have had a championship-caliber season so far, posting a 32-2 regular season record and racking up wins against teams like Michigan, Virginia, and Arkansas. But St. John’s isn’t an outsider, and after winning the Big East Conference tournament, they peaked at the perfect time. Can they take down the No. 1 seed? They will enter the contest as the underdog, but this is March, and with one of the most experienced coaches in charge, the Johnnies are ready to come at Duke swinging.
More than three decades after Christian Laettner broke his heart, Rick Pitino gets another shot at Duke—with everything on the line.