West Virginia Basketball: Jevon Carter, the defensive superstar of the Mountaineers

Jevon Carter is back for another season with West Virginia basketball, and he will be able to showcase not just his scoring ability, but his top level defensive skills.

A former three-star recruit out of high school, Jevon Carter has made a name for himself for one of the best programs in all of college basketball. Playing for head coach Bob Huggins, Carter has asserted himself both as a reasonable scorer and as an elite defender.

As a freshman, he came right in and was able to play 23.8 minutes per game, averaging 8.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Although these were not superb numbers, his defensive skills were immediately recognized. Even though it was his first year rocking the Mountaineers jersey, Carter was named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team as a freshman, a very impressive feat.

He was once again named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team as a sophomore, his second time making the team in as many tries. With his 1.7 steals per game, he ranked fourth in the conference, and his 44 made three-pointers also led his team. After starting just four games as a freshman, Carter started all 35 games as a sophomore, taking a leap in his offensive production up to 9.5 points per contest on 38.3% from the field, a reasonable increase from the 36.0% he shot as a freshman.

This past year, though, was when Carter was at his best. He took the reigns as the starting point guard again and was called upon to play a much larger role in the offense. Thanks to an increase in his three-point efficiency from a combined 92-for-297 (31.0%) in his first two seasons to 72-for-185 (38.9%), his all-around offensive game became more well-rounded and Carter was able to supply a career-high 13.5 points per game on 43.9% from the floor.

His rebounding also took a significant leap, as he snagged more rebounds in his junior season (184) than he did in his first two seasons combined (182). He was named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team for the third straight season and named to the All-Big 12 Second Team for the first time. His 2.5 steals per game were good enough for tops in the conference.

In addition to these awards, Carter was named both the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Defensive Player of the Year.

With his ability to both score the basketball and be one of the best defenders in the country, it is hard to imagine a player having much more impact than what Carter brings to the table for West Virginia. Entering his senior season, it will be his poise and toughness that makes the Mountaineers a contender to battle with Kansas at the top of the Big 12.

Next: Elijah Macon leaves WVU to play professionally

Carter will have plenty of help while on the court, but in the end, it will be him with the ball in his hands or locking up the opponent’s best player when the game is on the line. West Virginia made it to the Sweet 16 in 2016-17 before being knocked out by the eventual National Runners-up in the Gonzaga Bulldogs. They will look to build on that season and return to the Elite Eight or Final Four, which they have not done since 2010.