Coach K Returns to West Point as Army Basketball Takes on Duke on Veterans Day 2025

by Warren Rosenberg, MetroSports Magazine - November 11, 2025

Veterans Day is the day we pause to honor all military veterans who have served the United States, both living and deceased, with a particular focus on thanking living veterans for their service, sacrifice, and dedication. It is a day for the nation to pause and show gratitude for their commitment to national security and for the freedoms they have protected.

Above: Opening ceremony on Veterans Day 2025 at the Army vs Duke basketball game

On Tuesday, November 11, 2025 — Veterans Day — the No. 4-ranked Duke Blue Devils traveled to the United States Military Academy at West Point to face the Army Black Knights in a matchup that combined college basketball and ceremony. It was the first visit of a Power Five school to West Point in 28 years and, because of both the game and the special visit of Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski (‘Coach K’), it the Black Knights home court at Christl Arena attracted the largest crowd, 5,326, in the arena’s 40 year history.

Above: Scoreboard message welcoming Coack K back to West Point

What made Coach K’s appearance at West Point so special was the fact the he is a West Point graduate (’69) who played for three years as a point guard for the Army Black Knights basketball team from 1966 to 1969. Serving as an officer in the U.S. Army and reaching the rank of Captain, he returned to West Point in 1975 for a five-year stint as head coach of the Black Knights basketball team.

In an on-court ceremony, Coach K was welcomed back to West Point and honored with a banner, prominently displayed in the arena, noting his record as the winningest head coach in NCAA Division I history. His coaching career began at Army in 1975, 50 years ago, and he posted a 70-32 record over five seasons in West Point.

Above: Coach K, a former West Point Cadet, posing with current cadets Below: The ceremony welcoming Coach K back and unveiling his banner in the Christl Arena

In his comments to the assembled crowd and players, Coach K stated, “It’s Veterans Day, and I just want to thank all our service men and women, and their families sacrifices they’ve made to protect the values of our great country. In this arena right now, we have many veterans, and we have potential veterans, and all the cadets who are proudly cadets here at the United States Military Academy. For me, West Point was the basis of everything I’ve done in my professional career. Sixty years ago, when I was 18, I came here as a cadet at the best leadership school in the world, and it made me and taught me how to be a leader… The only thing that I would like to say is, you see banners being hung for the players. For a banner to be placed for a coach, it’s because they have great players… So, I want to thank you. I want you guys to be able to warm up and have a great game. Remember that tonight is so very special. You’re not going to see ten better guys all year in college basketball then the ten guys that will be on the court for the 40 minutes that you’ll watch. These young men represent the two best institutions in our country, the United States Military Academy and Duke University.”

While the game opened with an Army basket by Jacen Holloway assisted by Kevin McCarthy, and see-sawed back and forth with early scores of 5-5 and then 8-8, Duke gradually took control wit the score at halftime being a respectable 49-30 in Duke’s favor. Duke continued to dominate in the second half with the game ending in a 114-59 Duke win.