Cincinnati’s offense has a clear problem to solve after finishing Wes Miller’s final season ranked 271st nationally in field goal rate at 43.1%. That’s the backdrop for the Bearcats’ addition of South Dakota State transfer guard Trevian Carson, a player who brings efficient scoring and versatility to the backcourt.
Carson took the long route to this level, spending two seasons at Des Moines Area Community College before breaking out as a sophomore. In 2025, he posted 14.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, then picked up major recognition with a nomination for ICCAS Player of the Year and first team NJCAA All-America honors.
He then moved on to North Dakota State and delivered a strong lone season with the Bison. Carson averaged 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 48% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
He also showed he could take over a game, dropping a season-high 29 points in North Dakota State’s 99-94 win over Drake. In that one, he went 11-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-7 from deep.
When introducing Carson in late April, new head coach Jerrod Calhoun pointed to the experience and winning pedigree Carson brings with him. “Trevian is another guy who knows what winning looks like,” Calhoun said.
North Dakota State went 27-8 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 season, and Calhoun also highlighted Carson’s fit beyond the numbers. “He played for an NCAA Tournament team and was guided by a tremendous coach. Trevian can play multiple positions and is really good in pick and roll situations and playing off the ball.”
Carson entered the portal as the nation’s No. 246 prospect and the 31st-ranked combo guard, according to 247Sports. He also posted an 11.4 game score in John Hollinger’s metric, which sat 1.2 points above what Hollinger labels an “average” performance.
The shooting profile is the obvious selling point. Carson hit 54.1% of his two-point attempts last season, and the efficiency jumps off the page.
The bigger question is volume: he reached double-digit shot attempts in only 15 games last season, and that came in the Summit League. How that translates to a larger role at the power-conference level is the part Cincinnati will have to figure out in a transfer-heavy roster.
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