Regents approve contract for Nevada's Carter

RENO (AP) - The Nevada Board of Regents has approved a five-year contract for new Nevada basketball David Carter that will pay him $300,000 annually.

The board, which oversees the state's two public universities, unanimously approved the deal at its meeting Thursday in Las Vegas.

Carter in April replaced Mark Fox, who resigned to become head coach at Georgia.

Carter, 42, had been an assistant at Nevada since then-coach Trent Johnson hired him in 1999. He was elevated to associate head coach in 2004 when Johnson was hired by Stanford and Fox took over.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported that Carter will rank near the middle of Western Athletic Conference coaches as far as base salary.

Nevada President Milton Glick said the school is getting a terrific deal. Fox made a base salary of $450,000 last year.

"It is well below the market, and I think it is because of Coach Carter's long commitment to this institution that he has agreed to that amount," Glick said.

Carter could get increases in his base salary through cost-of-living raises and merit adjustments in addition to performance bonuses.

He'll earn roughly $11,500 for an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament and an equal amount for each tournament win past the first round.

He'll also get about $46,000 for winning the NCAA title and $5,750 for making the NIT.

If Carter leaves before the contract ends, he would owe the university one year's base salary.