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Jamie Dixon didn’t point to just one thing. But the numbers did.
“Certainly proud of our team,” Dixon said. “Proud of how we handled some adversity today and still had the lead with 16 minutes left.”
That part mattered. Because for a stretch, TCU was right there. Then the game shifted.
Foul trouble disrupted rotations. Lineups changed. And the physical edge that carried TCU through its late-season run started to slip, especially on the glass.
“I don’t think our defense was the way we wanted [it] to be,” Dixon said. “The rebounding thing sticks out.”
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It showed. Duke finished with a 42–25 advantage on the boards, limiting second chances and controlling the tempo.
“We were not physical enough to come up with the rebounds,” Dixon said.
There were still chances. TCU forced 17 turnovers and turned them into 20 points. But the margin grew elsewhere.
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At the free throw line.
Duke went 20-for-23. TCU just 5-for-10.
“They made their free throws. They beat us from the free throw line, simply put,” Dixon said.
Even then, Dixon never drifted.
“No excuses from our guys,” he said. “Certainly there’s plenty of opportunities to come with excuses, but you haven’t heard any from us.”
Because even as it slipped, his focus didn’t.
“Proud of how they grew, how they came together,” Dixon said. “Finished way higher than everybody predicted us.”
And in the end, that’s where he stayed.
“I think that’s it’s important how you handle a loss,” Dixon said.
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