With Duke men’s basketball season now wrapped up, the Blue Zone is here to review every player’s performance. We already looked at TJ Power, Sean Stewart, Jaylen Blakes, Ryan Young, Caleb Foster, Tyrese Proctor, Mark Mitchell, Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski. Last up is Jeremy Roach:
Jeremy Roach
Year: Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Position: Guard
This year’s stat line: 32.7 MPG, 14.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.3 APG
The Blue Zone’s projected stat line: 25 MPG, 12.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.5 APG
Season breakdown: Regardless of his next steps, senior guard Jeremy Roach cemented himself as a Duke legend this season. In his fourth year starting in the backcourt for the Blue Devils, Roach turned in a stellar senior campaign. His 1,496 career points moved him into 32nd all-time at Duke. The two-time captain also started 33 games and served as a leader both on and off the court for head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad en route to a regional final appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
While there were questions surrounding Roach’s return after the 2022-23 season given a strong incoming recruiting class of guards and subsequent potential decrease in available minutes, the Blue Devils were certainly glad the St. Paul VI product decided to stay in Durham. As younger guards such as sophomore Tyrese Proctor and freshman Jared McCain struggled at times early in the season, Roach was a consistent presence in the backcourt and led the Duke offense through growing pains while posting his best season yet as a Blue Devil.
The area of his game which Roach improved most was his shooting, making 46.8% of his shot attempts, 42.9% of his 3-pointers and 84.4% of his free throws — all career-best marks. He excelled in both the catch-and-shoot game as well as off the dribble, skills that aided Duke throughout the season and often kept the team afloat through poor offensive stretches.
If there is one thing the Leesburg, Va., native would like to change about his season, it’s likely his performance down the stretch. In the final six games of the year — a home loss to North Carolina to end the regular season, a quarterfinal loss to N.C. State in the ACC Tournament and four NCAA Tournament games — Roach shot just 22-for-63.
Results relative to expectations: As many were unsure what Roach’s senior year would look like in terms of minutes, production and efficiency, it’s safe to say the captain exceeded expectations. With steady play throughout the season and high-water marks such as 20-point performances in away games against the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels, it would be hard to argue that the Blue Devils would have seen the same season success without their senior leader. As this was it for Roach, he will exit on a positive note.
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