Coach K: Zion Williamson, Duke Failing to Make Final Four 'Huge Disappointment'

The 2018-19 men's college basketball season was largely defined by the Duke Blue Devils, but, much to head coach Mike Krzyzewski's disappointment, they will not be part of the Final Four on Saturday.

"They're deserving of special things, and they have had a special year," Krzyzewski said after his team lost to the Michigan State Spartans by a single point in Sunday's Elite Eight matchup, per David M. Hale of ESPN.com. "But not going to the Final Four is obviously a huge disappointment for us."

It was easy to assume this group of Blue Devils would etch their names in championship lore throughout the season.

After all, Zion Williamson was college basketball's premier attraction with a combination of gravity-defying dunks, awe-inspiring blocks and an ability to take over games in crunch time. RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish gave him two potential top-five picks as running mates, which is a combination most coaches dream of throughout their entire careers.

Duke Blue Devils vs. Michigan State Spartans: Game Highlights

Krzyzewski lived that dream for much of the season, but the group of freshmen was unable to lead Duke to its 17th Final Four in program history.

"It's very upsetting to think about," Williamson said, per Hale. "You see all the faces in this locker room, and I'm just trying not to focus on [the future]."

That future will almost surely include hearing his name called as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, meaning he likely missed his one opportunity to cut down the nets as a Final Four participant. Making it even harder is the fact that he didn't get the chance to decide the game on Duke's final possession.

Instead, Barrett missed a go-ahead three-pointer before the Blue Devils were given another chance when the Spartans knocked the ball out of bounds. Barrett drew a foul while attacking the basket down two but was only able to make one of the ensuing free throws.

Kenny Goins hit the biggest shot of the game for Michigan State on a go-ahead three in the final minute, while Cassius Winston was the best player on the floor for extended stretches with 20 points, 10 assists and four steals.

While Michigan State will have the opportunity to add another championship to its own storied legacy, Sunday's game will be remembered as much for Duke's failure to live up to expectations as the Spartans' monumental victory.