Duke basketball: Jon Scheyer rules out freshman once again

Duke basketball freshman forward Dariq Whitehead made the trip to Miami. But for the fourth straight game, he will not be available for minutes when the unranked Blue Devils (17-6, 8-4 ACC) play the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes (18-5, 9-4 ACC) at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla., at 7 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN).

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Whitehead's absence is due to his continued recovery from a left lower leg sprain. He sustained the injury early in the second half of Duke's 78-75 loss at the Virginia Tech Hokies on Jan. 23.

Despite being without the former five-star recruit, a projected one-and-done, the Blue Devils have won three straight.

Following Saturday night's 63-57 home win over the UNC Tar Heels, first-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer noted that Dariq Whitehead is progressing well. He was in street clothes during the contest but did take part in some warmups alongside his teammates before the game.

Scheyer has reiterated that the plan is for the 18-year-old New Jersey native to be back at 100 percent before seeing game action again.

Perhaps Whitehead, who missed the first three games of the season while recovering from a fractured right foot, will return for the Blue Devils' second road outing this week: against the No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers at 4 p.m. ET Saturday. We'll have to wait and see.

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