RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Setting aside the heated college basketball rivalry, recently retired Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski was honored Thursday by Gov. Roy Cooper - a two-time graduate of the University of North Carolina - with the state's highest honor.

Eschewing his favored Tar Heel blue tie for a darker Duke hue, Cooper held a ceremony to give Krzyzewski the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, saying he's "dedicated his life to helping others be their best" both on and off the court. Coach K came to Durham in 1980 to take the job.

"I'm a Carolina fan, Tar Heel born and bred and all that. I would never pretend otherwise," the Democratic governor said in an outdoor Executive Mansion ceremony attended by dozens of officials, Duke graduates and fans. "You got to be true to yourself, but you also have to be able to see through your bias and not only recognize greatness, but appreciate it."