Pitt F Zack Austin Breaks Out in Brooklyn
PITTSBURGH -- It had been tough sledding for Zack Austin, the ultra-athletic transfer from High Point that had been one of the Pitt Panthers' biggest additions of the offseason. Entering the NIT Season Tip-Off this week, Austin had started all four games but averaged just 5.5 points on 36% shooting from the field and a 15% mark from 3-point range.
But when the Panthers traveled to Brooklyn, New York for the NIT Season Tip-Off, Austin began to find an offensive groove. He got going in the first game against Florida, truly came alive in the second contest against Oregon State and left the Big Apple having averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 53% from the field and 33% from 3-point range.
"It felt great. You know, the start of the season wasn’t the best for me shooting the ball, but my coaches and my teammates have the ultimate confidence in me making shots," Austin said after scoring a team-high 19 points against Oregon State. "I just decided to keep shooting and they went in."
Austin set a season-high in points against the Beavers and made more 3-pointers in that one game (three) than he had all season to that point (two). His first two double-figure scoring games of the 2023-24 campaign came in these two contests at the Barclays Center.
Through his offensive struggles, Austin had earned his consistent spot in the starting lineup with his defense and rebounding, which were immensely valuable to the Panthers' 4-0 start. He came into the final game of the NIT Season Tip-Off averaging two blocks per game and owning an outstanding defensive rating of 85.5.
"When he's not scoring, he affects the game in many ways that sometimes don't show up on the stat sheet," starting guard Ishmael Leggett said after the Panthers beat Jacksonville a week ago. "Sometimes they do but he's just a ball player. If he's not on on offense, he's definitely going to be on on defense and vice versa."
And despite the shots not falling originally, the Panthers kept the faith in Austin. They trusted his track record as a strong shooter at High Point and Austin rewarded that faith with a breakout week in Brooklyn.
"He's a great threat that we have and the shots are going to fall for him," Leggett said. "He's a lab rat so I'm not worried about that at all."
As Pitt marches out of New York and onto a stretch of three more games in a row against Power 5 opponents, it's a comfort for Austin to have found his shot again and they hope that he can continue to heat up as the competition does.
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