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Coach K gets record-setting win No. 903

Nov 16, 2011 - 4:52 AM New York, NY (Sports Network) - The teacher is now staring up at the pupil.

Mike Krzyzewski became the winningest coach in men's Division I history on Tuesday, passing his mentor Bob Knight, as No. 6 Duke used a shooting barrage to build a huge lead then held on to down Michigan State, 74-69, as part of the Champions Challenge at Madison Square Garden.

"I want to thank the basketball gods for allowing Coach [Knight] to be here, you know, for this moment. To have the two of us together because you don't know this would happen. That was really a good thing for the two of us to be together tonight," said Krzyzewski. "We're pleased with the win and we're pleased with the fact that we can get on with the season."

Krzyzewski's 903rd victory was due in large part to the Blue Devils' staples: an endless stream of threes and tough defense that forced the Spartans out of their comfort zone. Andre Dawkins drained six treys, pacing Duke (3-0) with 26 points and five rebounds, while Seth Curry added 20 points, five rebounds and five steals.

Knight and Krzyzewski's ties date to Army, where Coach K played for his mentor from 1966-1969. He then started his head coaching career at his alma mater, taking over the Cadets in 1975. In 1980, he found his home in Durham, and despite the NBA's lure, has never left in a career to date that includes four national championships and 11 Final Four berths.

Many of Krzyzewski's former players, from Shane Battier to Carlos Boozer and Chris Duhon, were able to attend the game due to the NBA's ongoing lockout. They saw a solid effort from Ryan Kelly, who scored 14 points off the bench, and an off night for hyped freshman Austin Rivers, who made just 1-of-7 shots for five points.

Keith Appling led Michigan State (0-2) with 22 points, while Brandon Wood added 15 points and Draymond Green 10 points and seven rebounds. The Spartans have traveled from San Diego to New York, losing to a pair of ACC and national powers, North Carolina and the Blue Devils, to start the season.

"We are going to grow from these two games. A lot people think we are insane but, we are going to get better from it. We played two very good teams and we are competing more and more," said Spartans head coach Tom Izzo.

The two teams went back and forth over the first 20 minutes with Michigan State staking an early five-point edge before Dawkins found his shooting rhythm. He made four of Duke's six first-half treys, and the Blue Devils forced 10 turnovers, yet the Spartans scrapped and clawed back within one, 34-33, at the half on Wood's last-second baseline floater.

Duke came out firing in the second half with back-to-back threes from Dawkins and Kelly for a 47-40 lead. Curry drained a triple, Tyler Thornton made a free throw and Dawkins' layup on the secondary break capped a 12-0 burst for a 53-40 game.

Michigan State went nearly five minutes without a point and eight-plus minutes without a field goal, seeing a 41-40 deficit expand to 61-43 by the time Green knocked down a mid-range jumper with just over nine minutes to play.

The lead was still double digits inside of 1 1/2 minutes left, but Brandan Kearney made two free throws and Adreian Payne's layup closed the gap to 67-60, capping six quick points.

The Spartans got as close as five, and after a Duke turnover, had a chance to draw within one possession, but Green hit the back rim on a wing three with 10 seconds to go.

Game Notes

Duke has won seven of the last nine meetings with Michigan State...The Blue Devils improved to 26-15 at Madison Square Garden...Duke made 12 more free throws (30) than the Spartans attempted (18)...Michigan State committed 21 turnovers...Derrick Nix had a frustrating game for the Spartans, scoring just two points on 1-of-7 shooting before fouling out late in the game...Duke scored 60 of its 74 points from three-point range or the charity stripe...Payne grabbed 12 boards in the loss.