Caleb Foster’s season ends

NEW YORK – No matter how far into the NCAA tournament Duke advances, Caleb Foster won’t be playing.

Coach Jon Scheyer announced Thursday in Brooklyn that Foster is out for the rest of the season because of the injury he suffered Feb. 24 at Wake Forest. It is a stress fracture in his right ankle.

“My heart breaks for Caleb because Caleb has done literally everything you could ask from a guy who has an injury and trying to get back out there,” Scheyer said during Duke’s practice day, ahead of Friday night’s first-round game against Vermont.

“We have gone multiple second opinions. He tried to practice earlier this week,” Scheyer continued. “He wasn't able to really be himself. And so he's going to be out.”

Foster played in each of Duke’s first 27 games, averaging 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He was a streaky scorer, evidenced by a scoreless game against Arizona and then a season-high 18 points against Michigan State early in the season, and 16 points in Duke’s loss to Pittsburgh in January, followed by a scoreless game against Louisville.

The injury occurred sometime early in the second half of Duke’s loss at Wake Forest. Focus on it paled in comparison to court-storming dialogue and Kyle Filipowski’s knee injury that stemmed from the post-buzzer scene.

Now, and in the last two games, Foster’s absence has come under a microscope. In Duke’s loss to N.C. State last week in the ACC tournament, guards Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor and Jared McCain were a combined 7-for-28 and had 23 points.

“There's no replacing Caleb. He's got a big heart,” Scheyer said. “He's a tough competitor and he's just somebody that makes everybody better on the floor. And unfortunately we've had to play without him since the Wake Forest game, and there's no replacing him.”

Duke’s first-round matchup against Vermont is slated for 7:10 p.m. Friday.