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Krzyzewski Says He'll Leave Chest Bumping to Younger Coach

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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Southwest Missouri State coach Steve Alford said he's surprised more coaches don't ``chest bump'' with their players as a means of bonding.

Don't count Duke's Mike Krzyzewski among those who will be trying Alford's physical routine when the top-seeded Blue Devils take on the No. 12 seeded Bears in the NCAA East Regional semifinals Friday in East Rutherford, N.J.

Krzyzewski, 52, will undergo hip replacement surgery in early April and hasn't moved much on the bench this season, let alone done any chest bumping with his players.

``When you get over 50 your chest is not where it used to be,'' Krzyzewski said. ``When you start bumping where it is now, you get hurt. That region of my body has taken a big hit and I don't want it to be hurt anymore.''

Alford, 34, a former Indiana great under Bobby Knight, walked 20 feet onto the court Sunday after a time out to chest bump one of his players during Southwest Missouri's 30-point rout of Tennessee.

``I really don't watch Steve Alford on the sidelines,'' Krzyzewski said. ``He's a helluva lot better looking than me. He can actually stand up and walk around. I get down (watching him).''

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