RALEIGH, N.C. — After four years as a key contributor for Duke, Jeremy Roach is looking to knock his former team out of the NCAA tournament and extend his career a little longer when his new team, Baylor, takes on the Blue Devils on Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 at stake.
Roach said he “had a feeling” his Bears would be pitted against Duke somewhere in this year’s tournament, betting the committee liked to create intriguing matchups, but now that the moment has arrived, he said he’s working to approach the reunion like any other game.
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“Definitely excited for the matchup, not trying to overlook it or make anything bigger than what it is,” said Roach, who’s averaging 10.1 points and 2.6 assists per game for Baylor this season. “It’s another basketball game. I mean, it’s March Madness, but at the same time, it’s still another basketball game. I don’t want to get into I used to go to Duke or anything like that. Just focus on what Baylor has to do.”
Roach started 108 games for Duke from 2020 through last season, but as Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer looked to reinvigorate his roster following the 2024 tournament, the two sides decided to part ways.
The move was a difficult one, Scheyer said, given that Roach was one of the handful of players to bridge the gap between former coach Mike Krzyzewski and Scheyer’s tenure running the program.
“We’ve been through a lot together,” Scheyer said of his relationship with Roach. “He, to me, will look back on his time at Duke just being the connector with Coach K and myself and that transition, four amazing years. So Jeremy and I have had a lot of just honest, great conversations through the years.”
When last season ended, however, the blunt conversation came down to a simple truth, Scheyer said: Duke had other plans, and Roach’s final season could benefit from time with another program.
“This year, there’s been a lot of good benefits for sure,” Roach said. “It’s been a learning experience for sure. Like I said, I’ve enjoyed every moment of it, trying to stay in the moment as much as I can. It’s my last year. I wanted to make the most of it.”
Roach opened the year as Baylor’s starting point guard, but as the season progressed, he has given way to freshman Rob Wright — a move Baylor coach Scott Drew said Roach approached with grace.
“When we made the decision to bring him off the bench, talked to him, and he said, ‘Coach, whatever’s best to help the team,'” Drew said. “He’s learned a lot from Coach Scheyer and Coach K, and he’s a great teammate, he’s a great leader, and he’s really helped Rob.”
Roach saw just 14 minutes of action in Baylor’s opener against Mississippi State, finishing with six points and two rebounds, but Drew said he wouldn’t be surprised if the veteran plays a much bigger role in Sunday’s showdown against Duke.
Drew said he also expects Roach to be able to offer a window into Duke’s approach for their matchup Sunday, given his extensive knowledge of the Blue Devils’ scheme.
“I know this game means a little more to him obviously,” Drew said, “but Jeremy is somebody that is capable of having big games. Hopefully he has one tomorrow.”
