Caleb Foster leads Duke past St. John’s, into Elite Eight :: WRAL.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Caleb Foster returned to the lineup and may have saved Duke’s season.

Foster scored 11 second-half points, helping the top-seeded Blue Devils erase a 10-point halftime deficit in a 80-75 victory over fifth-seed St. John’s in the East Regional semifinal. Duke (35-2) advanced to play the winner of Michigan State-UConn on Sunday.

Foster, who was not expected to return until the Final Four, missed the previous five games after fracturing his right foot in the regular-season finale against North Carolina on March 7. Less than three weeks later, he was back in action. Foster played seven scoreless minutes in the first half off the bench.

But in the second half, Foster made 5-of-7 field-goal attempts, including two key baskets in the final 2:14 as Duke tried to protect its lead.

St. John’s led 55-45 five minutes into the second half. The Red Storm made 9-of-18 3-pointers in the first half, but were just 4-of-14 in the second.

Isaiah Evans scored a game-high 25 points for Duke. Cameron Boozer scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds for another double-double.