Duke's Mike Krzyzewski Feeling Better After Getting IVs for Illness vs. Wake Forest

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski says he is feeling "better" after leaving the bench at halftime of the Blue Devils' win over Wake Forest with an illness.

The 75-year-old told SiriusXM on Thursday:

"I'm better. We went through a very taxing part of our season, with four games in eight days, late travel. I still prepare the same way. That day, for Wake, I wasn't feeling that good. During the game, during the first half, I got lightheaded on the bench. I called Jon Scheyer and Chris Carrawell over and I said, 'Look, I'm not feeling great. You guys do more. Just don't hold back.'

Then I started feeling a little bit better during the half. Then, as I'm walking off the court at halftime ... I really thought I could pass out. I got to the locker room and my medical people gave me IVs and whatever. I'm better. I think you get exhausted. I don't know if it was my way of celebrating my 75th birthday and saying, 'Knucklehead, you are 75. You better do something a little bit different.' I'm better, and I'm glad it was that and not something else."

Scheyer took over in the second half for Krzyzewski, leading the Devils to a narrow 76-74 home victory. The associate coach is set to take over for Krzyzewski once he retires following the 2021-22 season.

“Clearly, Coach wasn’t himself,” Scheyer told reporters Tuesday. “He wasn’t right.”

Duke is set to return to the floor Saturday against Florida State. Krzyzewski is expected back at his normal spot on the bench leading the nation's ninth-ranked team. He previously missed a game against Wake Forest earlier this season with a non-COVID illness.