Sad ending for Duke’s Carrawell

BY STEVE HANF
SALISBURY POST

Carrawell’s final shot attempt in a Duke uniform fluttered harmlessly through the bottom of the net. He turned to walk back down the court, head sinking as chants of “air-ball! air-ball” rained down on him from jubilant Florida fans.

In a mere eight seconds, Carrawell’s Blue Devil career would end at the hands of the Gators in the Sweet 16 of the NCAATournament. The winningest player in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference could do nothing but surrender in the 87-78 loss.

Mike Krzyzewski knew his only senior deserved better. As the chants continued, Duke’s head coach called for a sub, then turned to the Duke faithful and gestured for them to stand and cheer as Carrawell made one long, final journey to the BlueDevil bench.

When he got there, he hugged Krzyzewski tightly, buried his head on his coach’s shoulder and sobbed.

“It was just my way of saying thanks,”Krzyzewski said. “I know how much our fans love Chris and what Chris has done. It was a chance for us to show publicly what he’s meant to our basketball team.”

As far as winning is concerned,Carrawell meant more to Duke than any other player in league history. His four-year record of 116-20 included 66 ACCwins, 10 better than runner-up Sam Perkins, the Tar Heel great.

His teammates felt remorse at not giving Carrawell another shot at a championship. Duke lost last year’s title game to Connecticut, fell to Kentucky in the Elite Eight in his sophomore season and dropped a second-round game to Providence when he was a freshman.

“Chris has meant so much to our team this year and I love him like a brother,”junior Shane Battier said. “I’d do anything for him. We just wanted to give him a winning effort. No matter what people say about this game and this team, we sent ChrisCarrawell out a winner.”

Carrawell scored 16 points, one below his season average. He kept his team close in the second half when he hit two jumpers and a pair of free throws to make it 52-51 Florida with 14 minutes to go.

Somehow, he attempted only two more shots over the next 14 minutes and failed to score. Then in the game’s closing seconds, with Duke’s chances of a win incredibly slim, he fired a pair of long 3s. The first clanged off the rim. The second missed everything but the scrutiny of the Florida fans.

After shedding the tears, Carrawell refused to give in to his emotions.

“I could be down, but right now I’m so happy,”he said. “The year didn’t end up the way I wanted it to, but it doesn’t take anything away from the great year we had.”

He entered the postgame press conference with his coach and teammate Nate James. As Carrawell handled questions about the end of his Duke career, Krzyzewski reached out and patted Carrawell on the back for support.

“Our relationship is great and it’s going to carry on forever,”Carrawell said of his coach. “It only happens if you stay four years and give your heart and soul to the Duke program.

“At the beginning of the year our poster was, ‘Duke Forever.’ And we showed this year, we’re still Duke and no matter who’s in the uniform and who leaves, as long we’ve got Coach K we’re going to be on top,” Carrawell added. “The man’s been great.”

So was Carrawell.

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Steve Hanf covered Duke in the NCAATournament for the Post.