X-Factor: Roach's veteran leadership, defensive presence key for Duke men's basketball against Notre Dame

The Blue Devils are back in action Wednesday after a tough loss on the road in Chapel Hill, taking on Notre Dame at home. The Blue Zone is here with a key player for each squad:

Duke: Jeremy Roach 

Who else could be Duke’s key cog but the veteran guard Jeremy Roach, who is coming off a 20-point performance in a tough loss against North Carolina. After struggling with his shot against Clemson, the Leesburg, Va., native looked sharp against the Tar Heels, nailing 9-of-16 shots from the field. Roach’s defense and his ability to rack up steals will play more of a factor in this game, though. In their first game against Notre Dame, the Blue Devils accumulated a staggering 18 points off turnovers compared to only five for the Fighting Irish. Consequently, Roach had four steals in that game, leading the team in that category while finishing with 18 points. 

Although other players had significant contributions, most notably sophomore forward Mark Mitchell’s 23-point performance, Roach’s defensive presence often allowed Duke to run in transition. This often opened the lane for Mitchell to get to the basket. Not to mention, Roach has been one of the more consistent scorers the Blue Devils have had all season. His veteran role as captain of the team cannot be overstated, especially considering that Duke is coming off its most painful loss of the season 

Notre Dame: Kebba Njie

Sophomore forward Njie has indeed been somewhat inconsistent this season, averaging just 4.0 points per game while shooting 31.8% from the field. The Centerville, Ohio, native came to Notre Dame this season after playing for Penn State his freshman year, and he has had trouble adjusting to the team’s system. However, he brings more to his team than just scoring. The value he provides for the Fighting Irish comes principally from his ability to rebound and generate second chance points. His 5.7 rebounds per game is tied for the team lead, as are his 37 offensive boards. 

In his first outing against the Blue Devils earlier this season, Njie racked up a respectable 10 rebounds — four of which were on the offensive glass. Despite this, Njie only provided nine points on six shot attempts. Notre Dame’s lack of depth means that Njie will have to take more advantage of his offensive rebounding and size to rack up points. Not to mention, the Fighting Irish have struggled from the three point line so far — they are shooting just 30.3% from beyond the arc for the season. This means that their scoring down the stretch will have to be generated inside the paint. If Njie can bring his scoring up to the same level as his rebounding, Notre Dame will stand a better chance.