Duke's Jeremy Roach Led 'Come-to-Reality' Team Meeting Before 8-Game Winning Streak

Ahead of its matchup against Virginia in the ACC Tournament final, Duke is amid its best stretch of the season as the team has won eight consecutive games dating back to a Feb. 14 win against Notre Dame.

The genesis of the win streak came following the Blue Devils' 22-point road loss to Miami on Feb. 6.

The day following the game Roach—along with fellow team leaders Jacob Grandison and Ryan Young—called a team meeting in the locker room that changed the course of their season, according to a report by The Athletic's Brendan Marks

"That team meeting, it was so necessary for us," Roach said following Duke's win over Miami in the ACC Tournament semifinals. "It was really, like, a come-to-reality meeting."

Those types of meetings are never easy, and it had some of the leaders uneasy heading into it.

"It's just risky," Young said, "Because those meetings get very emotional. You know, voices can be raised. Tempers can flare. There can be some tough love. And if you don't have the right dynamic in the locker room …"

The risk turned out to be worth it, however, because aside from a close, seven-point loss to Virginia in its following game, Duke has not lost since and has racked up some impressive wins, including against UNC, Pittsburgh and the No. 1-seeded Hurricanes.

The Blue Devils are now No. 17 in the NET rankings and are catching fire at the perfect time as they look for a return to the Final Four under first-year coach Jon Scheyer.

Roach, the team's junior point guard, has been a huge catalyst during the winning streak, scoring in double figures in all but two games over that span, including 13 points in the win over Miami.

Duke will play Virginia in the ACC Tournament championship Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.