DURHAM, N.C. — Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Duke had just ended in an unexpected defeat to the Blue Devils’ fiercest rival. The time had come for the school to hold its postgame on-court ceremony in Krzyzewski’s honor.

Only, the retiring Hall of Famer was still thinking about Saturday’s 94-81 loss to North Carolina.

“I’m sorry about this afternoon,” he began, then waved off cheers from the fans. “It was unacceptable. Today was unacceptable, but the season has been very acceptable. And I’ll tell you: this season isn’t over, all right?”

It was a slightly awkward moment to start of the ceremony, yet a sign that the 75-year-old coach was already thinking and driven about what’s still to come: a maximum of nine games left for the No. 4 Blue Devils with chances to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and a sixth NCAA championship.