Tag: jeremy roach

New Big 12 team emerges as the favorite for Jeremy Roach, per report

Jeremy Roach, a four-year starter for the Blue Devils, entered the transfer portal with one year of eligibility left, and he may be headed to the Big 12.

Duke senior captain Jeremy Roach declared for the NBA draft earlier this week, but he also entered the transfer portal and maintained his college eligibility. With one year left thanks to the COVID-19 extension, is the four-year Blue Devil headed to the Big 12?

According to The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, a longtime college basketball reporter, the Baylor Bears might be the team to watch for Roach’s next home.

Roach averaged a career-high 14.0 points per game last season after shooting 42.9% from 3-point range, another personal best. He also set new career records for assists (3.3), steals (1.1), and free-throw percentage (84.4%).

The four-year starter helped Duke defeat the Bears in December, a 78-70 win at Madison Square Garden a few days before Christmas. Roach scored 18 points after he made five of his nine attempts and seven of his eight free throws.

Baylor, a top-10 team when the Blue Devils took them down in December, finished with a 22-9 record in the regular season. As a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Bears defeated Colgate in the opening round before losing to Elite Eight-bound Clemson.

Kentucky basketball has contacted Duke Blue Devils transfer Jeremy Roach

Kentucky coach Mark Pope has contacted Duke transfer Jeremy Roach.

New Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope has wasted no time in working to build a roster for the upcoming season. He has added one transfer already, and has reached out to several more. One of them is former Duke Blue Devil Jeremy Roach.

Roach was a very important player for the Blue Devils last season, and was a team captain. He averaged 14 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds per game while shooting over 40% from three-point range.

The former Duke point guard is also entering his name into the NBA Draft, so that option is also open. That means there likely won’t be a quick decision on his future.

Kentucky has lost nearly every player from last year’s roster, and Pope will need to completely rebuild it. There are a lot of talented options in the transfer portal that he will be contacting in the coming days and weeks.

Roach will be highly sought after, so Kentucky will have to work hard to secure his commitment. It would be a huge get if they can land him, though.

College Sports Wire lays out five potential landing spots for Duke transfer Jeremy Roach

The four-year Duke starter entered the transfer portal on Tuesday, meaning he could go anywhere for his final season. According to College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton, however, there are a few favorites.

Longtime Duke starter Jeremy Roach, a member of the Final Four run in 2022 and the Elite Eight run this past season, declared for the NBA draft on Tuesday.

However, he also retained eligibility and entered the transfer portal, and the consensus seems to be that he’ll exercise his last year of college basketball with another school. But where?

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released an article on Wednesday detailing the five most likely landing spots for the four-year Blue Devil.

Patton first cited an Adam Zagoria report that said St. John’s, Arkansas, and Kentucky were the top options for Roach. The College Sports Wire writer had St. John’s first on his list because of the departures of Nahiem Alleyne and Glenn Taylor Jr., saying head coach Rick Pitino could make waves with Roach’s commitment.

After the Razorbacks and Wildcats, listed second and third in order, Patton had Dan Hurley and the Connecticut Huskies as a fourth potential suitor. The two-time defending national champions will lose Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, and more this offseason.

“Roach is the perfect veteran for Hurley to bring into the mix, with his combination of floor spacing and lead guard facilitation a great first addition for the Huskies to build around,” Patton wrote.

Rather than a fifth college team, however, Patton said that the NBA could be a likely suitor for Roach. The College Sports Wire writer believes a good pre-draft process could make the pros a possibility.

“While his age and size may limit his prospects, if he performs well during workouts, he could get a promise from a team as a second-round pick or priority free agent signing,” Patton concluded.

Three schools in the lead for Jeremy Roach’s next home, per report

Jeremy Roach, who announced he would entered the transfer portal on Tuesday, is likely to end up in one of three places according to one report.

Four-year Duke veteran Jeremy Roach announced on Tuesday night that he’d declare for the NBA draft while retaining college eligibility, entering the transfer portal.

The move effectively ensured Roach won’t play in Durham next season, meaning Blue Devils fans will say goodbye to the last remaining player who started for Mike Krzyzewski. But where will the guard go next?

According to a Tuesday night report from basketball reporter Adam Zagoria, the three early favorites for Roach’s next destination are St. John’s, Kentucky, and Arkansas.

St. John’s is now coached by Rick Pitino, who led both Kentucky and Louisville in previous decades. The Red Storm finished with a 20-13 record last season, ranking 21st in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metric (the highest of any team left out of the NCAA Tournament).

On the other hand, both Kentucky and Arkansas are going through coaching changes. Longtime Wildcats head coach John Calipari left for the Razorbacks at the conclusion of the season, and Kentucky brought in former BYU coach Mark Pope to replace him.

The Athletic weighs the odds of Jeremy Roach, TJ Power, and Sean Stewart entering the transfer portal

The Athletic’s Brendan Marks released a 2024-25 Duke roster breakdown on Tuesday, and he predicted at least two more Blue Devils will leave for a new school.

The Athletic’s Brendan Marks released a lengthy breakdown of Duke’s 2024-25 season on Tuesday morning, and he shared some predictions for whether some familiar faces would return to Durham next season.

Marks believes four-year starter Jeremy Roach will finish his collegiate career somewhere else. The Athletic writer also expects either TJ Power or Sean Stewart, two freshmen with consistent bench minutes this season to leave the program for a new home.

Roach, the last player who started for legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski still with the program, has an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 extension. He started in the Final Four two years ago and in the Elite Eight this season, but with Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor already confirmed to return, Marks thinks the veteran tests the market.

“(He) would be a hot commodity in the transfer portal,” Marks wrote. “His earning potential, depending on his next school, should be greater in college next season than somewhere overseas or in the G League.”

Marks emphasized that the Blue Devils have room for both Power and Stewart on a scholarship basis, especially if Roach doesn’t return, but said he expects at least one to depart.

“(Stewart) brings great athleticism and rebounding, and would be a valuable piece on most teams, but his fit next to Flagg and Maluach isn’t ideal,” Marks wrote. “Power would be the player I would prioritize between those two.”

None of the three have officially voiced their decision for next season, though with the end-of-season banquet in the rearview mirror, confirmations should be expected soon if they come.

ESPN lists Duke as the No. 1 team in their Way-Too-Early Top 25

Duke the top team in the country in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

Less than 48 hours after Dan Hurley’s Connecticut Huskies completed one of the rare college basketball feats of repeating as national champions, the page has already turned to 2024-25 for the rest of the college basketball world.

ESPN made sure to get its Way-Too-Early Top 25 up late on Monday night, and the number one team in those rankings resides in Durham, NC.

Duke bowed out of the NCAA Tournament this season in the Elite Eight to an NC State team that spent the last 12 games playing incredibly inspired basketball. Duke led in the first half, but State overwhelmed Duke with incredible shotmaking and suffocating defense in the second half to send the Blue Devils home.

Duke is now in the process of reflecting and retooling for next year. There’s a renewed energy around the program as Scheyer will welcome the nation’s top recruiting class, highlighted by one of the most heralded number one high school basketball players since LeBron James, forward Cooper Flagg.

ESPN staff writer Jeff Borzello, who put the rankings together, said this about his decision to put the Blue Devils at the top spot.

“Duke entered this past season as a national title contender, but never quite seemed to put it all together for an extended stretch and ultimately fell in the Elite Eight. Jon Scheyer will have two of the best NBA prospects in the country next season, in No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg and projected top-five NBA draft pick Khaman Maluach, but the Blue Devils could have point guard issues if Jeremy Roach decides not to take advantage of his fifth option year.”

Borzello also published a projected starting five that featured Flagg, Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster, Mark Mitchell, and Maluach. The issue is that Mitchell announced his intent to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday afternoon, so he will not be on the 2024-25 version of the Duke Blue Devils. Duke will likely opt to find a shooter to help space the floor with Flagg and also give those minutes vacated by Mitchell to rising sophomore Sean Stewart should he opt to return.

Tyrese Proctor has not announced whether he plans to enter the portal, opt for professional opportunities, or return to Duke. If we assume Proctor returns, he’s likely a captain and must leap like Wendell Moore. There’s a lot of talent there, but it needs to become consistent. A decision from Jeremy Roach also remains up in the air, and having a fifth-year senior could be massive.

All that aside, Duke plans to utilize the transfer portal, too, so Duke’s roster construction for next year is far from done, with more names expected on their way out, i.e., Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain, expected to be drafted in the first round.

Jeremy Roach (likely) finishes Duke career 32nd on the all-time points list

All signs seem to be pointing to Jeremy Roach ending his Duke career with 1,469 points, the third-most of any Blue Devil who debuted after 2010.

Jeremy Roach has likely played his final game in a Blue Devils uniform, meaning his storied four-year career will conclude with 1,469 career points.

That’s enough for the senior captain to finish 32nd on the all-time scoring list in program history, one spot behind legendary forward Carlos Boozer.

Roach averaged 11.3 points per game across his career, including a career-high 14.0 as a senior. The last player left who started for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, he made the Elite Eight twice, including the 2022 run to the Final Four.

His 1,469 points are the third-most of any Duke player who started his career after 2010. Quinn Cook (2012-15) finished with 1,571 points, and Grayson Allen (2015-18) finished with 1,996.

The fourth-year guard passed names like Seth Curry, Mason Plumlee, Mike Dunleavy, Amile Jefferson, and Jay Bilas on the career scoring list this season.

Roach could theoretically take an additional year next season since he hasn’t yet used his COVID extension year from 2020, but considering he was honored at senior night, all signs point to this having been his final run as a Blue Devil.

Jeremy Roach and Kyle Filipowski lead Duke to the Elite Eight after beating Houston 54-51

Duke hangs on in a rock fight of a game to advance to Elite Eight.

Friday night in Dallas felt like a fight night.

Kelvin Sampson and his No. 1-seeded Houston Cougars made the three-hour trip up I-45 South to Dallas to take on the Duke Blue Devils.

Much of the build-up to the game centered around Houston’s defense and Duke’s methodical yet explosive offense, and when the ball went up for tipoff, that was precisely what surfaced immediately. Houston hit Duke in the mouth early, going up 6-0 after forcing two Jeremy Roach turnovers.

Jon Scheyer called a timeout immediately to settle his team down, and from then on, it was game on. Duke worked back into the game, trading blows with the Cougars for the remainder of the half.

Just past the midway point of the first half, Houston’s fearless leader and Naismith Player of The Year candidate Jamal Shead drove to the rim but rolled his right ankle hard as he planted to rise for the layup. Shead fell to the floor and wouldn’t get up until after the game was stopped. He eventually tried to walk off the court under his power, but trainers helped him the rest of the way to the locker room. He would be diagnosed with a severe ankle sprain and would never return.

With Shead out, Duke eventually fought back to take a 23-22 lead into the break.

Houston, indicative of the toughness they have become known for, would not go away in the second half. Ramon Walker drilled a huge contested 3-pointer to cut the game back to a single possession with nine minutes to play. J’Wan Roberts, another senior leader for Houston, got a tough left-handed layup in the paint to cut it to just one point one minute later.

But that was as close as the Cougars got.

Jeremy Roach, Duke’s senior captain, has a highlight reel of big plays from his March exploits over the last four years. Tonight, he added to it with a masterful second-half performance. He locked in and poured in all 14 of his points after the break, including a dagger mid-range jumper to put Duke up 6 with just over a minute left.

Duke held on to secure its first win over a higher seed since the Blue Devils knocked off No. 1 seeded Purdue in the 1994 NCAA Tournament, then led by 19 points from former Duke assistant Jeff Capel.

Sophomore Kyle Filipowski played one of his best all-around games, contributing 16 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Ryan Young was a massive X-factor off the bench, and the 6-foot-10 senior gave Duke four points and four rebounds while playing tough defense, helping Duke stay in the game when Houston punched first.

With the win, Duke ensures that at least one ACC team will make the Final Four. The Blue Devils will take on the NC State Wolfpack in the final game of the Elite Eight on Sunday at 5:05 PM EST.

Three keys to a Duke win versus Houston in the Sweet 16

Duke’s methodical offense and ability to handle Houston’s air-tight ball-trapping defense defense is a major key to winning this game.

The time continues to dwindle as we get closer and closer to Duke tipping off in Dallas to take on the Houston Cougars for the right to move on to the Elite Eight.

Duke’s journey this year has been up and down, but after an unfortunate blip of back-to-back losses right before the NCAA Tournament started, the momentum did not seem to favor the Blue Devils.

Yet, here we are after Duke dominated the tournament’s first two games and cruised to Dallas. Things won’t be nearly as easy on Friday night against Houston. The Cougars are tough, physical, and tested. Two-way guard Jamal Shead, Houston’s star player, will be playing in his 15th NCAA Tournament game on Friday evening. Kelvin Sampson has had a terrific tenure coaching this program, and he brings years of NCAA Tournament experience.

Duke will have its hands full. However, Houston can be beat. With that said, here are three keys to a Duke win.

Quick decisions are essential.

Houston runs a highly effective defense predicated on trapping the ball in the pick-and-roll. It blitzes ball-handlers and forces them to make lightning-quick decisions and passes that many teams at the college level can’t make or are too slow to make, thus leading to turnovers and rushed offensive sets.

When you look at the Cougars’ defense, they are No. 2 in effective field goal percentage (44%), block rate (16.1%), and steal rate (15.5%). They are also within the top five in turnover percentage (24.7%) and 2-point defense (43.4 %) and they hold teams under 30 percent from three.

In other words, they are stout defensively. However, opponents have a shot if they can swing the ball and break the trap down off the dribble. Jeremy Roach has dominated the ball in the tournament thus far, sliding into a more conventional PG role like he did in the last few NCAA Tournaments. He must be decisive, make the right reads, and get the ball out so Duke can swing it, attack open gaps, or use numbers to their advantage when applicable.

If the ball sticks, Duke will be in trouble, generating offense. Luckily, Duke has found its rhythm in sharing the ball in the tournament. 22 assists on 33 made field goals against James Madison in the second round certainly helps. They may not make nearly as many baskets, but a similar ratio would likely mean they’ve been able to break down Houston’s defense.

Shoot, shoot, shoot

There are going to be plenty of 3-point opportunities available come Friday night. Duke needs to be ready to hit them. They shot the cover off the ball against JMU in their last game. Jared McCain had eight threes. It’s unlikely Houston will allow the number of open looks that JMU did, but for the ones they do, Duke has to cash in on them.

Per Synergy Sports, Houston is in the 98th percentile in spot-up points allowed per possession at an incredibly high rate (27% of defensive possessions.) In other words, McCain and Tyrese Proctor have to have good days like they did Sunday shooting the ball. The issue is that Houston plays such a hellacious defense that they will contest everything. Duke needs an inspired shooting performance like they had in the second round, or at least 40% in comparison to the 50% they were at against the Dukes.

Toughness wins

You would be hard-pressed to find a tougher team than the Houston Cougars. They play hard physically; if you are mentally and physically unprepared, things can spiral quickly. Duke’s knock this year is that they are soft. That has been the narrative all season long. Both games against UNC showcased that, as did their early loss to Arkansas.

Duke will be run out of the gym if it is not mentally and physically ready to battle this Houston team. In the aftermath of the JMU game, players and coaches talked about how the message preached was to throw the first punch. Come out and attack them. Set the tone on both court ends and let them know you’re here. That same message applies here.

Houston may not be nearly as dynamic offensively as the Tar Heels, but they are even better defensively, and both games against North Carolina did no favors for Duke. Duke is 18th in effective field-goal percentage. They can score with the best of them, but this is different. Duke hasn’t beaten a higher-ranked seed in 30 years. To win this game, they must showcase what they have been missing all year.

Mark Mitchell, Duke grind out 64-47 win over Vermont to advance to Round of 32

Duke grinds out 64-47 win over Vemront to move on to the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

It was not pretty, but it was more than adequate.

Duke’s defense and a balanced scoring effort featuring four players in double figures were enough for the Blue Devils to beat Vermont 64-47 on Friday evening and advance to the round of 32.

Duke dropped its last two games leading up to the NCAA Tournament as they slid from fighting for a chance at a 2-seed to landing on the 4-seed line come Selection Sunday. The reasoning had everything to do with Duke’s play against its in-state rivals, UNC and NC State, in its final two games. The Blue Devils didn’t look like themselves, and it showed on the court. As they prepared for their first-round matchup against a tough Vermont team, Duke needed a level of toughness they hadn’t shown in weeks.

On Friday night, they showcased that as they held America East Conference champions to just 47 total points, including 18 in the second half.

The offense was hardly fluid, but early on, sophomore Mark Mitchell terrorized Vermont in ball screens as he repeatedly rolled to the basket, finishing with 11 first-half points and four dunks. Vermont opted to double Kyle Filipowski on every post touch. While the 7-footer finished with just one shot attempt from the field, he impacted the game in every other category, collecting 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks.

Vermont made a late push at the end of the first half to go into the break with Duke leading 34-29.

The two teams struggled to put the ball in the basket in the first eight minutes of the second half, and Duke scored on just one of their first five possessions.

Vermont cut the Blue Devils’ lead to 36-34, possessing the ball with a chance to tie or even take the lead, only to see Nick Fiorillo miss a 3-pointer that would have put the Catamounts out in front.

McCain answered with a 3-pointer for Duke, and when Proctor added a 3-pointer with 14:46 to play, Duke led 42-35.

For the remainder of the second half, Duke kept Vermont at arm’s length thanks to defense and inspired play from senior captain Jeremy Roach, who added 10 of his 14 points in the final ten minutes of the second half.

Jared McCain provided 15 points on 4/9 shooting, while Tyrese Proctor added 13 points. Shamir Bogues and Aaron Deloney led the way for Vermont with 18 and 14 points, respectively.

Duke needed to get back in transition, and they did that. They were also +12 in rebounding, holding Vermont to one shot on over half of their possessions.

With Duke’s win, they move on to Sunday’s second-round matchups, where they will face the winner of James Madison and Wisconsin.