A dose of Jeremy Roach got Duke’s defense going again in NCAA tournament opener
For the season’s most important games, No. 9 Duke used the lineup it’s used the least, but one that’s done plenty of winning.
Jeremy Roach was a big factor in that decision.
When the Blue Devils beat Cal State Fullerton, 78-61, in Friday night’s NCAA tournament game, Roach returned to the starting lineup for the first time in more than a month. The 35 minutes he played was more than he’d played in a game since late January.
Freshman guard Trevor Keels came off the bench for the first time since Feb. 12 at Boston College, which was also the last time Roach had started.
Defense was the reason behind the move.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was not pleased with the Blue Devils’ defense over the four games entering the NCAA tournament. That stretch included a 91-84 home loss to North Carolina and an 82-67 loss to Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament championship game.
Those were two of only four games where a team scored 80 points or more against the Blue Devils.
“We tried something different with Trev up on top, and that didn’t go as well,” Krzyzewski said. “We weren’t able to put pressure on the ball as well. So during this week, we just made that change.”
Roach became the main defender at the top of Duke’s man-to-man, half-court defense. Fullerton shot just 37.5%, making only 5 of 17 3-pointers, and Duke won easily in its most effective defensive performance since a 86-56 win at Pittsburgh on March 1.
It’s not just about Roach or Keels, Krzyzewski said. Small forwards A.J. Griffin and Wendell Moore also play major roles in how Duke defends away from the basket.
But Roach played his way into the coaches’ hearts against Fullerton.
“I’ve talked to our guys on the perimeter,” Krzyzewski said. “It doesn’t matter who starts, especially (as) those four kids are going to get starter’s minutes. But putting Jeremy on the ball was really important (Friday night).”
The 6-2 Roach, a sophomore, rates as an effective defender for the season.
According to Synergy Sports analytics, opponents have hit only 34.6% of their shots against him when he’s the primary defender. Jump shooters have hit only 29.6% of shots against him and, in situations where the shot clock is at four seconds or less, they’ve hit only 2 of 14 attempts (14.3%).
Keels’ defensive scouting report is similar: Opposing players have shot 34.5% against him. But he’s not as effective guarding jump shooters, who have made 37.9%. In those late shot clock situations, opponents have hit 5 of 14 shots (37.5%).
But it’s been an uneven season in terms of playing time and usage for Roach, who has slid in and out of the starting lineup. He’s done his best to stay mentally strong throughout.
“The biggest thing for me is keeping that same confidence and consistency and the hard work,” Roach said. “That’s the biggest key, just stay level headed and don’t get too big when stuff’s going your way, don’t get too down when stuff’s not going your way. Just stay consistent. I know the coaches and all the players have trust in me. That’s it.”
Roach started Duke’s first 17 games this season, moving to a reserve role for the Jan. 12 game at Wake Forest so the 6-7 Griffin could start. It was the first lineup change of Duke’s season.
The move paid an immediate benefit on offense — Griffin scored 22 points in a 76-64 win over the Demon Deacons.
Roach moved back into the starting lineup after Keels suffered an injury to the lower part of his right leg during a 79-78 overtime loss at Florida State on Jan. 18.
With Roach, Moore, Griffin and big men Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams starting, the Blue Devils won seven more games. In the last two games of that stretch, though, the healing Keels played more minutes than Roach.
Keels replaced Roach in the starting lineup for Duke’s 76-74 home win over Wake Forest on Feb. 15 and that lineup reeled off five consecutive wins. But the defense started to wane.
Then came the losses to UNC and Virginia Tech that were sandwiched around ACC tournament wins over Syracuse and Miami.
Duke owns a 9-3 record when using the starting lineup with Keels, Moore, Griffin, Banchero and Williams.
Swap out Roach for Keels and the team has now gone 8-1 in those games, including the win over Fullerton.
As Duke, the West Region’s No. 2 seed, prepares to play No. 7 seed Michigan State at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday in the second round, playing defense as best it can is of utmost importance.
Roach proved capable of that against Fullerton, just as he has other times this season.
This story was originally published March 19, 2022 at 6:53 PM.