Duke basketball sophomore guard, has struggled throughout his second season in Durham. Foster, who was touted as a potential breakout prospect in college basketball throughout the preseason, has not only gone out of the Blue Devils’ starting lineup, but is also falling out of the rotation as a whole.
Foster began the season in the starting lineup with junior Tyrese Proctor, but his dismal offensive productivity eventually sent him to the bench in favor of Sion James and Isaiah Evans.
Foster has played fewer than 10 minutes in six of the Blue Devils’ previous nine games, averaging 5.4 points on 42.2% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three this season. All of these numbers are lower than his freshman campaign. Foster was a 40% three-point shooter for Duke as a freshman, so his difficulties beyond the arc are particularly surprising.
However, with Proctor expected to be out for at least a while after injuring his knee in the first half of Duke’s 97-60 victory over Miami on Tuesday night, Foster’s minutes will most certainly increase again, and he may be able to salvage his lost sophomore season.
Foster played 17 minutes against the Hurricanes with Proctor out and had one of his best scoring nights of the season. The guard scored 10 points and three assists while shooting 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 from the perimeter. Foster had not played this many minutes in a game since January 15th.
Evans is the most likely candidate to start for the Blue Devils, thanks to his incredible three-point shooting skills and lanky stature, which will keep Duke’s defensive length and mobility at a premium.
However, Foster will almost definitely see more playing time, owing to the fact that he is Duke’s only other veteran backcourt player outside Proctor and James. There is no one else Duke can bring off the bench who has been a regular in the rotation prior to this season.
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So, for the sophomore, this may be an opportunity to salvage his season and establish himself as a dependable starting guard, or at least a guard worthy of genuine minutes, on a championship-caliber team.
Duke’s next game comes at home against Florida State (16-12, 7-10 ACC) on March 1 (7:00pm ET, ACC Network).
