SAN FRANCISCO -- Before Duke beat Arkansas 78-69 on Saturday night in the Elite Eight, securing Mike Krzyzewski's record 13th trip to the Final Four in his final season, it was easier to talk about what the Blue Devils were missing instead of what they have.
Their youth and late-season slips -- as evidenced in losses to North Carolina in the regular-season finale and to Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament title game -- offered enough evidence for the doubters to question their staying power on a stage that has ousted more freshman stars than it was rewarded.