TCU coach Jamie Dixon reflects on numerous ties to Coach K, intense matchups with Duke
TCU basketball coach Jamie Dixon has spent plenty of time with Mike Krzyzewski over the years, whether it’s with matters regarding USA Basketball, the National Association of Basketball Coaches or their ties to West Point.
They’ve crossed paths on the hardwood, too, when Dixon served as Pitt’s coach from 2003-16. Dixon is 2-2 in his four career games against Krzyzewski and Duke, and reflected back on those Thursday. Krzyzewski announced his retirement this week, effective following the 2021-22 season.
Dixon’s first meeting against Krzyzewski was his most memorable. As he called it, “One of the biggest games in Pitt basketball history.”
Pitt and Duke played an overtime thriller at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden on Dec. 20, 2007 in what was called the Aeropostale Classic. The Panthers prevailed 65-64 on a step-back 3-pointer by Levance Fields with 6 seconds left.
“That was the biggest game in Pitt history, playing Duke at a sold-out Madison Square Garden,” Dixon said. “The Garden was always Duke’s place and that night it became our place too. It was kind of half and half — half the stadium for Duke, half the stadium for Pitt. It was an unbelievable game.”
It truly put Dixon and Pitt on the map as one of the top programs in the country. Dixon had reached the NCAA Tournament in his first four seasons as Pitt’s coach, but there’s a different aura to beating Duke and Krzyzewski at MSG.
That 2007-08 Pitt team went on to win the Big East tournament that season and spent time as the No. 1-ranked team in the country the following season.
“That game really was the early stages for Pitt to establish Madison Square Garden as our second home,” Dixon said. “I thank Coach K for playing us because they didn’t have to. We were good, getting real good, and that game established us. It was a premier game on a premier night in December.”
Dixon didn’t face Krzyzewski again until Pitt joined the ACC for the 2013-14 season. Duke won the first meeting at Pitt 80-65 in 2013-14; Duke then won at home 79-65 in 2014-15; and Pitt knocked off Duke 76-62 in 2015-16.
Outside of the meetings on the court, Dixon and Krzyzewski both had a fondness for West Point. Dixon’s sister, Maggie, coached at West Point in 2005-06 before suddenly passing away following the season. Krzyzewski played at Army under Bob Knight in the 1960s.
The two also worked together on a number of USA Basketball and NABC initiatives, including the NABC hiring Craig Robinson as the organization’s executive director last summer.
“On all the meetings here of late, he certainly didn’t sound like he’d be announcing his retirement anytime soon,” Dixon said. “He’s always talking about ways to change the game and improve the game and address issues such as the number of transfers and everything else going on. He has a lot of ideas and thoughts on it. It’s just amazing that he cares so much about the game still at age 74.”
Krzyzewski’s place in the sport’s history is secure. He’s led Duke to 12 Final Four appearances and five national titles.
Krzyzewski is the latest big-name coach to announce his retirement this offseason, along with staples such as North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger.
Dixon joked that when Pitt was joining the ACC eight years ago that the AD at the time told him Krzyzewski and Williams would only be coaching for another year or two in the conference.
“Talking about Roy and Coach K specifically, it is interesting they announced their retirement in the same year … eight years later,” Dixon said, laughing.
