HOUSTON -- Mike Krzyzewski is living in the moment with his youngest team, not thinking too much about the significance of his latest trip to the NCAA Final Four.
Tthe Blue Devils, with three freshman starters, are going to their 16th Final Four, and a record-tying 12th for Krzyzewski, after a 66-52 victory over Gonzaga on Sunday to win the South Regional.
"Just being with these kids and sharing this moment and this Final Four, I'm so happy, I'm so happy for them and to be with them," Coach K said. "I love my team. ... They're taking me to Indy, which is kind of neat."
Justise Winslow, a freshman playing in his hometown, finished with 16 points after rolling his left ankle early in the game, and had a big three-pointer in the closing minutes. Tyus Jones scored 15 points, while Jahlil Okafor had nine points and eight rebounds.
"Coach has been to however many Final Fours, but this is his first one with this group and that's what means the most," Winslow said. "Living in this moment, living right now."
Duke (33-4), the region's No. 1 seed, is going to Indianapolis to play Michigan State in the Final Four. The other national semifinal game Saturday has undefeated Kentucky playing Wisconsin.
Krzyzewski's 12 Final Fours matches UCLA's John Wooden for the most by a head coach. There are three coaches with seven, including Michigan State's Tom Izzo, who will also be in Indianapolis.
Duke's last Final Four and national title was in 2010, when the Blue Devils were also the No. 1 seed in the South Regional and went through Houston.
No. 2 seed Gonzaga (35-3) led 38-34 less than 4 minutes into the second half, putting the Blue Devils in their largest deficit of this tournament.
Duke outscored Gonzaga 9-0 and never trailed again.
Gonzaga later missed a chance to tie the game when Kyle Wiltjer missed an open layup with just under 5 minutes to play.
"You make that thing 499 times out of 500. It was just a fluke," Coach Mark Few said. "It just didn't fall in. When that kind of moment happens, you've just got to shake your head, and it's not your night."
Matt Jones, sophomore starter for the Blue Devils, had 16 points with four three-pointers. Quinn Cook, a senior guard who was part of Duke's opening-round upset losses in 2012 and 2014, had 10 points.
Winslow, who turned 19 on Thursday, hit a three-pointer from the left wing with 2:28 left to stretch the lead to 60-51.
He did so after coming down awkwardly on a missed layup less than 8 minutes into the game. But Winslow got his left ankle re-wrapped and wasn't out long.
"I rolled it pretty bad," he said. "It was a little stiff, a little sore, but I knew you never get this chance again so I just gave it my all."
Wiltjer, a transfer from Kentucky who as a freshman was part of the Wildcats' 2012 national championship, had 16 points. Byron Wesley had 10.
Gonzaga has been to 17 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, but never the Final Four, and Sunday was Gonzaga's first regional final since 1999 when the mid-major Bulldogs were a No. 10 seed that lost to top-seeded UConn.
Few was an assistant coach on that squad, and took over as head coach the following season.
Seniors Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr., who each played at least 135 games for Gonzaga, were a combined 4-of-14 shooting for nine points.
Wesley, the other Gonzaga senior starter who had transferred from USC for his final season, picked up a loose ball and made a layup while being fouled. His free throw made it 38-34 with 16:20 left.
Duke's go-ahead stretch included a tiebreaking three-pointer by Matt Jones on an assist from Tyus Jones, who then had a nifty play to get Duke the ball back.
Przemek Karnowskigrabbed a defensive rebound before being stripped by Jones, who leaped in the air for the loose ball and dropped it straight down on Karnowski laying out of bounds. Okafor then made a jumper.
"It was just a point in the game we had to make plays," Jones said. "Coach tells us to be confident."
And they are.
Sports on 03/30/2015