Duke's Mike Krzyzewski Calls Out Late-Arriving Crowd, Wet Floors After Round 1 Win

Coaching in his final NCAA tournament before retirement, Duke head men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski shared some gripes Friday.

According to ESPN's David M. Hale, Coach K said the following after the second-seeded Blue Devils knocked off No. 15 Cal State Fullerton 78-61 in the first round: "There was no crowd when guys were warming up. And that damn floor was slippery on both ends."

Friday's game took place at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, as part of the west region slate.

Regarding the late-arriving crowd, Krzyzewski added: "If there's some way in the future they can change that because these kids from both teams need to go out on the court and have band, crowd and whatever. They shouldn't have empty seats."

Per Hale, Duke vs. Cal State Fullerton tipped off just 90 minutes after USC vs. Miami ended, which led to "hundreds of fans crowding the entry points to get into the arena." That resulted in long lines to get into the arena, lasting well into the first half.

The 75-year-old Krzyzewski also elaborated on his issues with the court, saying: "Somebody should look at it. That's not good. We've got to be concerned about that."

Coach K also pointed to the fact that Duke star Paolo Banchero slipped in front of the benches before the game began, and Wendell Moore had a hard fall during the game.

The Bon Secours Wellness Arena is typically used for ice hockey, as it is the home of the ECHL's Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Given that the court was built on top of an ice rink, it is possible the condensation created from the ice could have played a role in how slippery the court was.

Despite the issues, Duke managed to turn in a strong performance Friday, highlighted by Banchero recording a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists.

All five Blue Devils starters scored in double figures, and Duke shot the ball excellently, making 51.7 percent of its shots from the field, 40.9 percent of its shots from long range and all nine of its free-throw attempts.

With a first-round win in their pockets, the Blue Devils will move on to face the seventh-seeded Michigan State Spartans in the second round on Sunday.