MSU Basketball Coach Tom Izzo Announces Ben Carter Joins Spartans As Graduate Transfer
Graduate transfer forward joins the 2016-17 Spartan roster.
Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo announced that forward Ben Carter (6-9, 225) will join the Spartan program for the upcoming 2016-17 season as a graduate transfer.
“What struck me about Ben from the very first time I talked to him was that the most important thing to him was winning and being a part of a championship team,” said Izzo. “(Former UNLV interim) Coach (Todd) Simon felt Ben was one of the keys to their team last season before he was injured in January. He’s going to give us a bona fide 4-man, but once again, it’s his passion for winning that most impressed me. After meeting with him and his family on their visit, I’m excited to say that we are adding a good player and a great kid.”
Carter averaged 8.6 points and 6.0 rebounds as a redshirt junior at UNLV in 2015-16. He appeared in 22 games, starting seven, before suffering a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 30. Carter scored a season high 16 points in a victory over Indiana in the 2015 Maui Invitational, adding five rebounds. It was one of 10 double-figure scoring games for Carter, as he also scored 16 points to go along with a season-high 12 rebounds at Colorado State. He posted a second double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds against Boise State. On the season, Carter shot .556 from the field and .754 from the foul line.
Carter sat out the 2014-15 season as a redshirt after transferring to UNLV following two seasons at Oregon. As a sophomore in 2013-14, he averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.7 minutes. He scored a season-high 11 points at Oregon State and grabbed nine rebounds at Washington State. In an upset of No. 3 Arizona, he totaled five points, four rebounds, two assists and a block in 13 minutes. As a freshman in 2012-13, Carter averaged 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds. He scored a season-high 12 points at UNLV.
Through three seasons, Carter has averaged 4.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 84 career games.
