2016-17: Saw action in 32 games, including making eight starts ... Made collegiate debut in a season-opening win over Mississippi Valley State (11/11), recording 4 points and 2 rebounds ... Started first collegiate game in a win over DePaul (12/3), posting 5 points, 3 rebounds, a block and a steal ... Connected on both field goal attempts and posted 3 rebounds a block and a steal in a win over New Orleans (12/11) ... Blocked a pair of shots in a win over Chicago State (12/14) ... Grabbed 3 rebounds and blocked 2 shots in a victory over Dayton (12/17) ... Swatted 5 shots to go along with 4 points and 4 rebounds in a win over IUPUI (12/20) ... Posted season highs of 6 rebounds and 3 assists in a victory over Houston Baptist (12/22) ... Scored 6 points with 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a win at Penn State in the Big Ten opener (12/27) ... Provided solid contributions off the bench in a win over Indiana (1/29), recording 4 points with 2 assists and 2 blocked shots ... Came off the bench to score a season-high 8 points at No. 23 Purdue (2/1) ... Connected on a pair of field goals in a win over Rutgers (2/18) ... Contributed 4 points and 3 rebounds in a victory over Michigan (3/1) ... Posted 4 points with a pair of rebounds and a steal against top-seeded and second-ranked Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA tournament (3/18).
High School: Rated No. 3 recruit in the state and No. 21 center in the nation by ESPN.com … Four-star and No. 109 rated recruit in the nation according to Rivals … Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) 3A/4A first-team all-state selection as a senior and third-team all-state pick as a junior … Averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game as a senior, leading Hinsdale South to its first Class 4A regional title since 1999 … Chicago Sun-Times Class 4A first-team all-state … Chicago Tribune second-team all-state … School’s all-time leader with more than 1,700 points, 1,100 rebounds and 300 blocked shots … Three-time West Suburban Gold all-conference pick … Suburban Life all-area team MVP … Jack Tosh Holiday Classic all-tournament team selection … Averaged 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game junior year … Three-time all-area selection … Posted 36 points and 17 rebounds vs. Proviso East and 36 points and 14 rebounds vs. Addison Trail junior year … Scored 31 of his team’s 40 points in a win over Downers Grove South … All-tournament team selection at Wheaton Warrenville South … NBPA Top 100 Camp participant … UA All-American Camp participant … Helped team to tournament titles at Hinsdale Central Thanksgiving Tournament and DeKalb Christmas Tournament sophomore year … Team captain … Competed at AAU level for Illinois Wolves … Coached in high school by Brett Moore and Tanner Mitchell … Class president ... Dean’s List … National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Joan Kacmar and Cliff Benson … Father was a tight end in football collegiately at Purdue and in the NFL for four seasons … Chose Northwestern over Illinois, Indiana, Purdue and Vanderbilt.
High School: Rated No. 3 recruit in the state and No. 21 center in the nation by ESPN.com … Four-star and No. 109 rated recruit in the nation according to Rivals … Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) 3A/4A first-team all-state selection as a senior and third-team all-state pick as a junior … Averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game as a senior, leading Hinsdale South to its first Class 4A regional title since 1999 … Chicago Sun-Times Class 4A first-team all-state … Chicago Tribune second-team all-state … School’s all-time leader with more than 1,700 points, 1,100 rebounds and 300 blocked shots … Three-time West Suburban Gold all-conference pick … Suburban Life all-area team MVP … Jack Tosh Holiday Classic all-tournament team selection … Averaged 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game junior year … Three-time all-area selection … Posted 36 points and 17 rebounds vs. Proviso East and 36 points and 14 rebounds vs. Addison Trail junior year … Scored 31 of his team’s 40 points in a win over Downers Grove South … All-tournament team selection at Wheaton Warrenville South … NBPA Top 100 Camp participant … UA All-American Camp participant … Helped team to tournament titles at Hinsdale Central Thanksgiving Tournament and DeKalb Christmas Tournament sophomore year … Team captain … Competed at AAU level for Illinois Wolves … Coached in high school by Brett Moore and Tanner Mitchell … Class president ... Dean’s List … National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Joan Kacmar and Cliff Benson … Father was a tight end in football collegiately at Purdue and in the NFL for four seasons … Chose Northwestern over Illinois, Indiana, Purdue and Vanderbilt.