X-Factor: Caleb Foster’s rotational production key for Duke basketball against Dartmouth

There is room for a rookie to excel behind Duke’s all-star lineup of returning stars.

As a scorer on the ball, Caleb Foster is quite good. He is a tenacious shot-maker who has proven effective all over the court. The rookie knows how to create an impression, whether he’s driving to the rim with outstanding handles or lighting it up from behind the arc with a full bag of step-backs and pull-ups.

In September 2021, the Harrisburg, North Carolina, native became the first commit to the Blue Devil recruiting class that ultimately ranked No. 2 overall. The rookie is rated No. 22 overall and as the class’s fourth-best combo guard by 247 Sports. Foster recorded a spectacular 2022 Nike Peach Jam performance, scoring 25.2 points on 44.4% of his deep shots. This rating demonstrated his remarkable efficiency and reliable scoring abilities. After that, he went on to have a stellar senior season at Notre Dame, averaging 21.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, good enough to win MaxPreps California Player of the Year.

Foster now has a little bit of a grudge going into the 2023–24 campaign. The 6-foot-5 guard was thought to be a lock to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game in 2023.

Foster expressed disappointment about missing the yearly McDonald’s All-American event, saying, “I need to get ready for [college] and I can prove then why I should have been a McDonald’s All-American.”

Since then, in early team scrimmages, he has demonstrated impressive glimpses of what he can do this season. Foster will have a great chance to enter the game and demonstrate why he is among the best in his class, even if he will probably be starting off the bench on Monday.

Dartmouth: Ryan Cornish

Dartmouth, coming off a disappointing 10–18 campaign, heads to Durham in the hopes of mounting a formidable defence against one of the best teams in the country in Duke’s roster.

Ryan Cornish will be the team’s star player this year. The native of Potomac, Maryland, focuses the majority of his effort behind the arc; in the previous season, 45.1% of Cornish’s field goal attempts came from deep. On the other side of the floor, he poses a threat as well. Last season, the runner-up for DC Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021 led Dartmouth in steals.

having 32. The turnover risk that Cornish presents will require the Blue Devils, who are expected to start a guard-dominant lineup this season, to pay attention.

The junior scored the most points of any returner for the Big Green past season, finishing in second place. Cornish shot 40.7% from the field in 2022–23, putting up 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. The 6-foot-4 guard scored a career-high 31 points against a Princeton team that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, in addition to a noteworthy 21 points and nine rebounds against UTSA. On Monday, Dartmouth might become a genuine threat to a quality Duke team if they put on a similarly outstanding performance.