Why Michigan State basketball's Carson Cooper is wearing mask in NCAA tournament
The masked man manning the paint for Michigan State basketball during the NCAA tournament is sophomore center Carson Cooper.
Cooper picked up the extra accessory out of necessity after suffering a nose injury in the Big Ten tournament. Cooper suffered a bloody nose after taking a shot to the face during the Spartans' close loss to Purdue in the quarterfinal of the Big Ten Tournament.
Carson Cooper sporting a new mask. MSU sophomore got a bloody nose vs. Purdue but said it’s not conclusive if he broke it. Plans to explore having a corrective procedure after the season but will wear the mask - created by a 3D scan of his head - the rest of this season. pic.twitter.com/1ars1G5jx2
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 20, 2024
The black mask is a protective measure for Cooper, who told reporters he is not sure if he broke his nose on the hit and was created using a 3D scan of his face.
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Cooper, listed at 6 feet 11 and 240 pounds, is starting in the middle against a burly Mississippi State team known for their physical play around the rim. Cooper was thrust into the starting lineup late in the season by Tom Izzo as MSU has tried to figure out the puzzle of their center rotation between him, Mady Sissoko, Jaxon Kohler and Xavier Booker all season. Cooper averages 3.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 17 minutes per game in the frontcourt rotation.
Other masked basketball players
The last time Michigan State played in a national championship, there was a masked player in the roster. During the 2009 run to the national championship, Raymar Morgan broke his nose in the Sweet 16 against Kansas on an errant elbow from teammate Delvon Roe. Morgan didn't miss any action, slipping on the mask for the Elite 8 and Final Four, helping the Spartans reach the national championship game before losing against North Carolina.
Of course, the most famous masked hooper laid his claim to the title in Detroit. Richard Hamilton started wearing a mask early in the 2003-04 season while helping the Pistons to the franchise's third NBA title. Hamilton wore the mask nightly from there on out, developing the reputation as one of the most consistent scorers in the league, doing all the damage behind a clear plastic veil.
And, due to the prevalence of elbows to faces happening in basketball, there are countless other examples. In the NBA, brief masked cameos from stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, Tracy McGrady and Russell Westbrook all generate plenty of attention for the new, slightly more ominous, look. Back in the day, Bad Boys center Bill Laimbeer also rocked a mask for part of his career.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State's Carson Cooper NCAA tournament mask: What happened?
