Caleb Foster Return Headlines Duke Full Injury Report

Duke's depth received a significant boost ahead of tonight's Sweet 16 matchup, as point guard Caleb Foster is set to return to action against St. John's.

According to CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson, barring any setbacks between last night and tip-off, Foster is expected to suit up for the Blue Devils. After undergoing surgery three weeks ago, Foster will play in his first game since suffering a foot injury in the regular season finale against North Carolina.

As long as #duke PG Caleb Foster didn’t have any setback overnight, the expectation is he will play tonight against @StJohnsBBall . Crazy- less than 3 weeks from surgery! I wouldn’t expect a lot of minutes but having his experience and leadership out there is huge.
— Tracy Wolfson (@tracywolfson) March 27, 2026

What To Expect From Foster

Foster is returning from major surgery and has not been a full participant in practice during his recovery, though he has done some work on the court. Head coach Jon Scheyer addressed Foster's preparation during an interview with Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.

"He's not practiced, but he's done some stuff on the floor. I can't even explain what he's done."

Feb 24, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) drives as Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Sir Mohammed (13) defends during the second half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Given the circumstances, Foster will almost certainly come off the bench and could be on a minutes restriction. Cayden Boozer has done an excellent job stepping into the starting point guard role, and Scheyer will likely stick with that arrangement. That does not diminish what Foster can bring to the game, however.

Foster Brings Veteran Presence

Offensively, Foster has been one of Duke's most reliable perimeter threats all season, largely due to his ability to move without the ball and create open looks for himself. Against St. John's, he will likely function primarily as a catch-and-shoot option, but his presence alone from three-point range will force the Johnnies to account for him on every possession.

Defensively, Foster has been one of the better perimeter defenders on the roster, with a strong ability to stay in front of his man. That said, St. John's will almost certainly look to exploit him early by running ball screens in his direction and forcing him into difficult situations. Scheyer will need a plan to help Foster navigate those moments, particularly given that he has not had the benefit of full practice time to get his legs back under him.

It is also worth noting that Duke has won games without both Foster and star center Patrick Ngongba this season. Ngongba returned from his own injury in the second round against TCU, contributing four points while showing some rust with four fouls and four turnovers in limited minutes.

With both Foster and Ngongba back in the fold, Duke's rotation looks considerably deeper than it has in weeks. Cayden Boozer and Maliq Brown are expected to remain in the starting lineup, while Foster and Nikolas Khamenia will give the bench unit a meaningful lift heading into one of the most important games of the season.