Duke G Caleb Foster has 'outside chance' to play in Sweet 16

Blue Devils star working to return from foot injury for NCAA Tournament matchup

Mar. 24, 2026 at 10:05am

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Duke guard Caleb Foster is working toward a return during the Sweet 16 with the No. 1 seed Blue Devils and No. 5 St. John's scheduled to tip off Friday in Washington, D.C., in an East Region semifinal, just under three weeks removed from a foot injury. Foster fractured his foot in the regular-season finale against North Carolina in Durham, N.C., and missed the ACC tournament and first two NCAA Tournament games for the Blue Devils (34-2).

Why it matters

Foster is a key player for Duke, averaging 8.5 points, 2.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 40.2% from 3-point range this season. His potential return would be a major boost for the Blue Devils as they look to advance to the Elite Eight.

The details

Head coach Jon Scheyer said he's not ruling out Foster for Friday or, if Duke wins to advance to the Elite Eight, Sunday's regional final against No. 2 UConn or No. 3 Michigan State. 'When he first got hurt, I felt there was more like one in a million. … Since that, since he got hurt, the way he's worked, the chances have continued to increase. I even think there's an outside chance maybe for this Friday,' Scheyer told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.

  • Foster fractured his foot in the regular-season finale against North Carolina on March 4, 2026.
  • The Sweet 16 matchup between Duke and St. John's is scheduled for Friday, March 28, 2026.

The players

Caleb Foster

A Duke guard who is working to return from a foot injury in time for the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“When he first got hurt, I felt there was more like one in a million. … Since that, since he got hurt, the way he's worked, the chances have continued to increase. I even think there's an outside chance maybe for this Friday.”

— Jon Scheyer, Head Coach, Duke Blue Devils

What’s next

If Duke wins its Sweet 16 matchup against St. John's on Friday, March 28, the team will advance to the Elite Eight on Sunday, March 30, where they could face either No. 2 UConn or No. 3 Michigan State.

The takeaway

Caleb Foster's potential return from injury would be a major boost for the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils as they look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. His 3-point shooting and all-around play have been key to Duke's success this season, and his presence could be the difference in close tournament games.