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Seth Greenberg calls out Duke coaching staff for actions following North Carolina loss

Chandler Vesselsby:Chandler Vessels•03/06/22•

ChandlerVessels

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Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire

Seth Greenberg didn’t agree with how the Duke coaching staff handled itself following a 94-81 loss to North Carolina on Saturday. A video went viral of Blue Devils assistant Chris Carrawell refusing to shake hands with UNC coach Hubert Davis, while fellow Duke assistant Nolan Smith did not look at Davis during his handshake.

This led the ESPN analyst to take to Twitter, where he sent out a message on sportsmanship and how to behave in the face of a tough defeat.

“Really disappointed in how the (Duke basketball staff) reacted to the UNC basketball coaching staff after the game,” Seth Greenberg wrote. “Unacceptable. Respect the game and your opponent. This is a simple rule. A lesson coaches need to demonstrate to their players.”

Carrawell said postgame that he declined to shake hands because Davis snubbed him of a pregame handshake.

Saturday’s contest also marked the final home game in the legendary career of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Despite the pageantry of the day, North Carolina didn’t flinch as four Tar Heels finished with 20 or more points for the first time in program history. Armando Bacot led with way with 23 points and seven rebounds as UNC got its revenge for an earlier loss to the Blue Devils this season.

Emotions were higher than usual Saturday — even for a Duke-North Carolina game. More than 90 former Blue Devils joined Coach K on the court to pose for a pregame photo, and celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Dirk Nowitzki and NBA commissioner Adam Silver showed up as well. Coach K was naturally disappointed following the loss, and grabbed the mic to address fans prior to a postgame ceremony in his honor.

“I’m sorry about his afternoon,” he said, calling the performance “unacceptable.”

Handshake lines have become a major topic of discussion in college basketball as of late. Michigan coach Juwan Howard and Wisconsin coach Greg Gard got into a postgame altercation in late February, resulting in Howard’s suspension for the remainder of the regular season. With now another example of disrespect in the handshake line, Greenberg is imploring coaches to think about what really matters and set a good example for their players.

Duke finished the regular season with a 26-5 record and still earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils have the first two days off before they are set to play in the quarterfinals at noon ET Thursday. North Carolina earned the tournament’s three seed and will also not play until Thursday in the quarterfinals.