Pitt HC Jeff Capel Updates Injury to Starter

Pitt Panthers forward Zack Austin should be fine after taking a nasty spill.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers walked away from their season opener against North Carolina A&T as massive winners, taking home a 100-52 victory at the Petersen Events Center to kick off the 2023-24 campaign. 

But one negative aspect lingered from the beatdown for Pitt and that was the health of starting forward Zack Austin, who took a nasty spill along the Panthers' bench during the first quarter. 

"He’s okay. It was his shoulder," head coach Jeff Capel said. "That’s what I was told in the moment. I don’t know the extent of it, but obviously, he was able to come back and play."

Austin was part of a group of players diving for a loose ball at the 6:53 mark of the first half. He banged into a table on the side of the court and was checked out by trainers on the floor, then got up and jogged to the locker room with assistant coach Jason Capel. 

He returned to the scorer's table with just under five minutes of game time having elapsed and played the remainder of the game, finishing the night with eight points - six in the second half - four rebounds, two assists and a powerful, two-handed block. 

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