EAST LANSING - After Michigan State's second injury of the early season, the Spartans are again shuffling to fill a gap, this time in the frontcourt.

Junior forward Kenny Goins is out after suffering a minor knee sprain, the team announced on Thursday.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said after Thursday's practice that he expects Goins to be out for two to two-and-a-half weeks. He likened the injury to the one Denzel Valentine suffered two seasons ago, which kept him out for a similar period of time.

The injury is the second suffered by a Michigan State player in the last three weeks. Wing Kyle Ahrens suffered a foot injury soon before the start of the season and is out indefinitely. Izzo said on Wednesday it hasn't been determined if Ahrens will miss the entire season.

Goins absence will require a new face in the role of primary backup at power forward to freshman Jaren Jackson.

Senior Ben Carter is the most obvious choice, as the team's other true power forward. The question is how many of those newly open minutes can Carter physically handle, given he's only six weeks out from being cleared following rehab from his second major knee injury, which cost him all of last season.

"I'm getting in better shape," Carter said. "I'm pushing myself in practice, preparing for more minutes."

Through the preseason and first two games of the regular season, the graduate transfer from UNLV has played in a limited capacity. Carter said he doesn't have a specific minutes restriction, he's just focused on improving his conditioning and being careful not to suffer any setbacks.

In Michigan State's Tuesday loss to Duke, Carter logged 12 minutes, including some key ones down the stretch. He finished with two points and was critical of his performance in a loss, saying he felt and looked sluggish.

Going forward, Carter said he's looking to increase his comfort level both in his knee and in Michigan State's offense.

"As a player like myself who's very cerebral, high IQ, it's kind of like being comfortable in the game and knowing where I'm going to get my shots, knowing where I can be effective," Carter said.

Goins' injury comes at a particularly hectic time for the Spartans: starting with a Sunday game against Stony Brook, Michigan State will play five games in 12 days.

Izzo said that after Goins' injury, Michigan State could also increase minutes for forward Gavin Schilling, who can play both the center and power forward spots, and as a result play freshman Xavier Tillman more.

"We've got enough depth," Izzo said.