EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State basketball senior Eron Harris will have season-ending surgery on his right knee, MSU announced Sunday afternoon.
Harris injured his knee during the second half of Michigan State's Saturday loss at Purdue. Harris was carted off the court and returned to East Lansing with the team. Doctors said the guard needed surgery to repair the significant damage to his knee.
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"We all feel absolutely awful for Eron," head coach Tom Izzo said. "As I said last night, I couldn’t ask for more than what Eron has given me and this program. Over the last month, he’s grown even more as a leader and been an example to his young teammates. And maybe I didn’t even fully grasp it until I walked on the court and saw the admiration his teammates had for him and the tears in their eyes. There’s no faking the respect they have for Eron as a man, as a player and, most importantly, a teammate."
Harris averaged 10.7 points per game and leads MSU with 43 made 3-pointers. Harris played his first two seasons at West Virginia, where he led the team in scoring in 2013-14 at 17.2 points per game. He transferred to MSU following that season and has appeared in 62 games over the last two years as a Spartan, starting 46 contests.
Harris finished his college career with 1,489 points. He scored in double figures 74 times, including 19 games of 20 or more points.
“It’s cruel to see a senior’s career end this way," Izzo said. "If there is a silver lining, it’s that we expect Eron to be able to make a full recovery and pursue a basketball career after graduation. He’s always worked for everything he’s accomplished on the court, and that same passion and mindset will serve him well in his recovery. Basketball is important to all players, but for Eron it was a way of life. Very few have spent more time in this facility or worked harder than Eron has. That’s why I’m confident his best basketball is still in front of him.”
The Spartans are 16-11 with four games left in the regular season. Their next game is Thursday, when they'll host Nebraska in East Lansing.