After each Duke game this season, check back here for the Player of the Game and more. The Blue Devils squashed Virginia Tech Saturday evening to to notch their fourth win in a row, and the Blue Zone is here to analyze the game:
One player: Jeremy Roach
Junior captain Jeremy Roach put on full display his offensive brilliance in a blowout win against the Hokies. He did it all in front of a packed house at Cameron Indoor Stadium — he blew by defenders and took it to the rack, drained tough looks from midrange and sunk two shots from long range.
Whenever the third-year Blue Devil had the ball in his hands, it seemed as if Duke was going to score. Even when he wasn’t looking to score the ball himself, Roach found open wings and cutting bigs. Most notably, he connected to Dereck Lively II for five emphatic finishes at the rim, sending the crowd onto its feet.
The Virginia native finished the game with a game-high 19 points and 10 assists, logging his first double-double of the season. Roach will look to continue to facilitate the team’s offense as the Blue Devils prepare for their final home game of the season against a talented N.C. State team.
One word: Outburst
An outburst of emotions decorated Cameron Indoor when the Blue Devils beat the Hokies, avenging their loss earlier in the season. While it may not have been the closest of games, this game didn’t disappoint in inciting an outburst of joy and thrill in the home crowd.
During the game, Lively put on a dunk contest of his own while Mark Mitchell showed how much of an athletic juggernaut he can be on both ends of the floor. Fans were also just as exhilarated to see Jaden Schutt, Christian Reeves and three other bench members enter the contest. The cherry on top — Cameron Indoor erupted when it discovered that Duke legend Grant Hill was at the game.
One stat: 6 blocks
As great as Duke’s offense was, one shouldn’t overlook the importance of the team’s defense. Most notably, Lively, who leads all freshmen in blocks nationally, recorded three of the team’s six blocks. Not to mention, Lively’s length and graduate center Ryan Young’s hustle have been key to the team’s success at protecting the rim, whether that comes in the form of a game-changing block or forcing the opponents to a tough shot.
During Duke’s matchup against North Carolina in early February, it was the Blue Devils’ season-high 11 blocks that stole the game away from their archrival. As head coach Jon Scheyer and Duke approach March, the team’s defensive coverage and rim protection will be crucial to its success.
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