Duke, UNC fans fire up rivalry in Greensboro

Greensboro, N.C. — The boos Duke University players got when they took the court for the opening round of the NCAA tournament in Greensboro on Thursday were not an odd occurrence – according to Mickie Krzyzewski, wife of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“We’re booed everywhere we go. Every arena we go in. It’s almost like our team would find it more of a distraction not to be booed,” Mickie Krzyzewski said.

Watch the full interview with Mickie Krzyzewski

But the boos provided a lesson in sportmanship for the couple's grandchildren – who call Coach K "Poppie" and Mickie Krzyzewski "Minnie" – who were attending the tournament this weekend in Greensboro, Mickie Krzyzewski said.

“When that booing happens, I want you to look down on the court because the Duke players aren’t booing. Poppie isn’t booing. Carolina players aren’t booing. I want you to be like those guys on the court, not like those guys in the stands,” Mickie Krzyzewski tells the children.

Even though the teams aren’t playing each other, University of North Carolina and Duke fans are firing up that rivalry at the Greensboro Coliseum.

“It doesn’t matter who they’re playing. We don’t care. We just don’t like them,” Duke fan Randi Pruitt said.

UNC fan Craig Clodfelter planned to stay after his team’s game Saturday to pull against Duke.

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Duke, UNC fans keep rivalry alive in Greensboro

Both games on Saturday were sold out. Each team advanced to the "Sweet 16."

The only way the two teams could meet in the NCAA tournament would be if both made it to the Final Four.