Traci Carter Has Left Marquette Basketball

What would finals week at Marquette be without basketball roster news? On Wednesday afternoon, head coach Steve Wojciechowski’s program lost a player to transfer, as Traci Carter has left the program, effective immediately.

Carter was averaging 4.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 16 minutes per game this season. He appeared in Marquette’s first eight games, starting four times, before missing each of the last two contests with knee soreness. Even after missing two straight games, Carter is still second on the team in total assists (29) behind Haanif Cheatham (33).

Carter talked to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about his reasons for leaving.

“A big factor that played into me transferring is my family," Carter told the Journal Sentinel on Wednesday evening. "I wanted to be closer to my family. There’s an old saying, ‘Nothing lasts forever.’ So I think it was just my time to go. ...

“It’s been tough being away from my family, so far (away). I miss them a lot, so that’s been tough. There’s been some problems back home.”

Carter was expected to play a big role for Marquette coming into the season, provided he was able to get his turnover problem from last year under control. The Philadelphia native turned it over on 29% of possessions a year ago, and things did not get much better this year. Through eight games, his turnover rate was a still very high 27%, and his minutes per game were way down as Markus Howard and Andrew Rowsey were able to provide point guard minutes without turning the ball over as much.

Presuming that Sacar Anim remains on track to redshirt this season, Wojo will play the rest of this season with just nine scholarship players available. With Carter following Sandy Cohen out the door, Marquette now has three scholarships available for the 2017-18 season. The Golden Eagles already have three freshmen signed up to play starting next fall in Jamal Cain, Ike Eke, and Theo John.

Here’s what MU’s scholarship situation looks like right now: