As Duke prepares to face St. John’s in the Sweet 16 on Friday evening, the status of injured point guard Caleb Foster is a big storyline. What once seemed impossible is suddenly within reach, and the Blue Devils could have reinforcements on the way on Friday.
Will Duke’s Caleb Foster Play Tonight?
Foster is expected to play tonight barring a setback, according to recent reports. Previously, Jon Scheyer had said that he had “an outside chance” to play, and his family had said he had a “50-50 chance” of suiting up.
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
He hasn’t played since suffering an injury against North Carolina on March 7. Foster went down late in the first half after attempting to chase a loose ball, immediately signaling to the bench that something was wrong.
He walked gingerly to the locker room and returned to the sideline wearing a walking boot, confirming the worst fears of Blue Devils fans everywhere.
Foster’s importance to Duke cannot be overstated. The junior was enjoying a breakout season after a difficult sophomore campaign that saw him fall out of the rotation entirely. He averaged 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while connecting on 40.2% of his 3-point attempts.
Beyond the statistics, Foster provided stability and veteran leadership for a roster loaded with talented freshmen still learning how to win at the highest level.
Having Foster available, even in a limited capacity, would significantly change the equation for Duke. His decision-making under pressure, his ability to protect the ball, and his composure in hostile environments are precisely what Duke needs against Rick Pitino’s aggressive scheme.
If Foster is out against St. John’s on Friday and Duke advances, there remains the possibility of a return for Sunday’s Elite Eight matchup against the winner of No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State.
Whoever Duke ends up facing, it will surely be a blockbuster clash for basketball fans. Duke has been on sensational form and is capable of taking down any team at this point, but we can never rule out a shocking twist.
St. John’s has managed to make it through to this stage after a Dylan Darling game-winner. Now that Foster is also expected to be back, the team will have to prepare to be at its absolute best against a stacked Duke roster.
Bryce Hopkins will face added pressure to lead his team to a win in Washington ahead of a potential Elite Eight clash on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how the teams fare given the comeback of a talented star like Foster.
