Duke came into its regular-season finale against North Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday short-handed with starting center Patrick Ngongba, who was a game-time decision, ruled out before tip-off. Then, a thin seven-man rotation was trimmed even further in the first half after starting point guard Caleb Foster appeared to injure his foot or ankle.
After he was evaluated on the bench by Duke’s training staff, Foster was sent back to the locker room in the final minutes of the first half against the Tar Heels. The 6-foot-5 junior from Harrisburg, North Carolina, is averaging 8.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
ESPN’s Kris Budden updated Foster’s status after his trip back into the bowels of Cameron Indoor. “When he was sitting on the bench, the athletic trainers took off his right shoe and they were looking more at the foot and ankle area,” ESPN’s Kris Budden reported moments ago. “When I watched him walk back into the locker room, he was able to walk under his own power, but did have a lot of issues putting any weight on the right foot.”
Foster did not return in the first half as North Carolina trimmed Duke’s lead to 39-34.
Caleb Foster sent to the locker room with an apparent foot/ankle injury
With Ngongba out, sophomore guard Darren Harris was the third Blue Devil off the bench, after Nikolas Khamenia and Cayden Boozer. If Foster is unable to return in the second half, Harris will be asked to log big minutes. Harris averages 10.1 minutes a game through the 28 games he has played this season, but has not played more than 22 minutes in a single game this year. Harris has played 22 minutes twice, against Western Carolina and Lipscomb.
Cayden Boozer is Foster’s backup at point guard, averaging 20.4 minutes a game in his freshman season. In last month’s loss at Chapel Hill, Boozer scored five points in 16 minutes. He has four starts this season.
After he was benched early in his sophomore campaign, Foster grew into a larger role for Jon Scheyer in March Madness as the Blue Devils made their run to the Final Four. Then, he returned for the 2025-26 season and has held the starting point guard role the entire season.
Beyond Foster’s playmaking ability and improving outside shot, his size is a huge part of Duke’s success. Averaging 6-foot-6, the Blue Devils are the tallest team in the country, which has allowed them to be a dominant force on the defensive end of the floor.
If Foster cannot return, Duke’s depth will be tested in a big way, missing its starting point guard and starting center.
UPDATE:
Caleb Foster did not emerge from the locker room for the second half, and ESPN's Kris Budden reported that he has been rule out for the remainder of the game.