Amber Henson to miss rest of season

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After appearing in eight of Duke's first ten games, forward Amber Henson did not play in either of the last two contests and now will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery Friday morning. The surgery, performed at the Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center, will stabilize Henson's right patella, which has bothered the Tampa, Fla. native since high school.

Henson was an ACC Newcomer to Watch in the preseason after ranking as one of the Class of 2011's top recruits, but has played only sparingly in Duke's early-season action. In 93 total minutes of play across eight games, she had amassed 14 points, 15 rebounds, seven steals and four  blocked shots.

Head coach Joanne P. McCallie told GoDuke.com that she is glad Henson will finally get the chance to play on a fully healthy right knee.

"I cannot tell you how excited we are for Amber," McCallie said. "She has gone through one of the most arduous and most difficult experiences with her knee -- prior to coming to Duke and then at Duke as well."

Duke will apply for medical hardship to redshirt Henson for the 2011-12 season, enabling her to return as a sophomore with four remaining years of eligibility next season.