Duke Is Done

Basketball | 4/1/19
duke loses to michigan state in elite 8
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Heading into March Madness, Duke was the clear favorite to win it all. With Zion Williamson healthy, the thought process by analysts went like this; no one in college basketball is better than Zion, so Duke will be impossible to beat.

On Sunday, the impossible became possible when Michigan State upset the Blue Devils in a 68-67 stunner to advance to the Final Four. After the game, a somber Williamson said, "It's very upsetting to think about. You see all the faces in this locker room, and I' just trying not to focus on [the future]."

As Williamson ponders his future, fans are left wondering what exactly went wrong. The answer, however, isn't that hard to discover. When the young superstar went down with an injury after his shoe blew up during a game during the season, the Blue Devils were left exposed. The team without him lacked that talent and composure to pick up the slack.

Those same players then failed to compliment him during the biggest tournament of the year, leading Zion to play the role of Superman. Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski tried to keep things in in perspective, "They're deserving of special things, and they have had a special year. But not going to the Final Four is obviously a huge disappointment for us."