As the beginning of basketball season is near, the Blue Zone provides a detailed preview of each player on Duke men's basketball's 2023-24 roster. We've already looked at Stanley Borden,Spencer Hubbard, Neal Begovich, Jaden Schutt, Christian Reeves, Jaylen Blakes, TJ Power, Ryan Young, Sean Stewart, Caleb Foster, Jared McCain and Mark Mitchell. Next up is senior guard Jeremy Roach:
Jeremy Roach
Year: Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Position: Guard
Last year’s stat line: 13.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.1 APG
Game breakdown: Jeremy Roach is a versatile guard who has done a little bit of everything over his first three years at Duke. He has played his majority of time at the point, but with the entrance of then-freshman Tyrese Proctor last season, Roach transitioned more towards the two. The off-ball role suited him, as evidenced by the dramatic increase in scoring, a five-point jump from his previous two seasons.
With Proctor at point, Roach became an offensive powerhouse. His seven 20-point showings were demonstrative of his role as the second go-to guy behind Kyle Filipowski. Roach put up more shots and made more too, sinking 47.5% of his 2-pointers and 34.3% of his threes. While his steals were down and turnovers were up, Roach is a balanced player that head coach Jon Scheyer can utilize, and has utilized, in nearly every facet of the game.
Role on the team: The captain is back. The senior is reprising his role as elder of a relatively young Blue Devil team, even as this one boasts far more experience than last year’s. Roach will likely be the only upperclassman starter with numerous freshmen getting meaningful minutes. Last season, he proved himself as the team’s second-most potent scorer, but with the backcourt depth this year’s freshman class brings, Duke will simply have more guys to get the ball to.
Especially in the early big games like Arizona, Michigan State and Arkansas, Roach will have to set the tone and be a steadying presence for a group featuring old faces who were embarrassed during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament last season and new ones who haven’t played on the big stage yet.
On the court, Roach’s play will likely mirror last year’s. He will score in his off-ball role and help facilitate an offense stacked with shooters. Watch for his stats to take a slight dip with the increased depth, but otherwise Roach will be a strong leader, and player, once again.
NBA comparison: Roach and Miami Heat point guard Kyle Lowry play similar offensive games. While Lowry does play more of a pure point position, both have the capability to make their own offensive opportunities and set their teammates up for success. They boast comparable 3-point numbers but are also threats to drive. While Roach won’t match Lowry’s assist tally, the other aspects of his offensive game are within reach for the senior.
Projected stats: 25 MPG, 12.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.5 APG
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Rachael Kaplan is a Trinity senior and a senior editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.