The scene was almost perfect. The championship trophy was back. Fans had nearly packed Cameron Indoor Stadium to welcome the Blue Devils home after another national championship run. Even the arena’s scoreboards displayed Monday night’s final score.

Only one thing was missing for Mike Krzyzewski.

“It’s good to be home, it’s good to be in Cameron and it’s good to see that score,” the Hall of Fame coach told the crowd before gesturing to the rafters. “It’ll be even better to see a fourth banner up there.”

About 9,000 fans greeted the team when it returned to campus Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the Blue Devils held off Butler 61-59 in Indianapolis to win the program’s fourth national title.

The school had waited nine years for this title and hadn’t been to the Final Four since 2004, a drought by the program’s lofty standards that had some questioning whether Duke had slipped. But now the Blue Devils are celebrating just as they did when teams led by players like Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Jason Williams and Shane Battier.

“I’ve been doing this here at Duke for 30 years,” Krzyzewski said through a hoarse voice.

“This is as good of a group of guys as I’ve coached here in 30 years.”

The team arrived about an hour late, which allowed fans the chance to watch a replay of Monday night’s game on the scoreboard screens or shop for championship T-shirts. Their biggest cheers — until the team arrived, anyway — came when the screens showed live news coverage of the team arriving at nearby Raleigh-Durham International Airport and then taking the bus to campus.

They waited in a nearby hallway for the replay of Gordon Hayward’s halfcourt shot to again bounce off the backboard, then carom off the rim and fall to the floor at the horn before walking on stage.

“I know it took four years,” senior Lance Thomas said, “but four years is worth another banner.”

The crowd of supporters included football coach David Cutcliffe and women’s basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie, while fans filled most of the upstairs level and packed a standing-room only area on the court at the base of the stage. Freshman Andre Dawkins carried the NCAA championship trophy and held it throughout the ceremony, while the players stood behind Krzyzewski as he addressed the crowd at the podium.

“I’m so speechless right now,” said junior Nolan Smith, who teamed with fellow junior Kyle Singler and senior Jon Scheyer to form the high-scoring “Big Three” that led Duke’s offense. “It meant so much to me and my family to be a part of something special.”

• Aaron Beard