Duke running out of big men as injuries continue to pile up at alarming rate

Chase Jeter is the latest victim, and Grayson Allen doesn't look so good either

The Duke Blue Devils cannot stay healthy.

In a 78-68 win over Penn State on Saturday afternoon, yet another Duke player fell victim to the injury bug that appears to have gone viral in Durham. This time, it was Chase Jeter -- a 6-foot-10 sophomore forward and former McDonald's All-American. He went down with a left ankle injury in the first half, and did not return to the game.

"We're banged up more than any team I've ever coached," Duke Mike Krzyzewski told the Duke Chronicle after the game.

Duke also survived a scare with its best player, Grayson Allen, who went down in the first half and hobbled off the court. Allen later returned to the game, but it's clear that he has been less than 100 percent the past few games, carrying a slight limp at times from the Kansas game over to Saturday's contest. He did not look at all like he was playing at full speed, and he finished 4 of 10 for just 12 points.

The bad news for Duke is that they desperately need Allen with all the other injuries they're dealing with, and he doesn't appear to be getting enough rest to heal up. The Blue Devils just keep getting thinner as the season goes, specifically in the frontcourt where they were already dangerously thin. Jeter leaves Duke without several key big men, adding to the list of Harry Giles, Marques Bolden and Jayson Tatum who are not playing due to injuries.

Jeter's injury appeared to be minor, as he did come out for the second half but did not play. Still, the injuries to the preseason No. 1 team continue to pile up at an alarming rate.

In the meantime, Amile Jefferson appears to be the beneficiary of the majority of the minutes that have been left available, as Duke essentially elected to play small against Penn State. Jefferson finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, and is more than capable of holding his own down low. But he can't play 40 minutes. This could become a problem pretty quickly.

Duke will get some much-needed rest over the next few days, and could get Tatum and Bolden back soon. Their next matchup will be next Wednesday vs. William & Mary.