Pittsburgh Basketball: Analyzing transfer targets Joe Girard, Ish Leggett and Zach Austin

Pittsburgh Basketball transfer target – Zach Austin (High Point)

The season-ending injury to Jeffress depleted the Panthers on the wing, as 6’3 guards, Nike Sibande and Greg Elliott, took all 40 mpg at that spot. That created some problems both against bigger wings on the defensive end, as well as rebounding overall. Blake Hinson led the team with 6.0 rpg but as a 6’7 undersized power forward, that hurt them.

The current option for that spot is Austin, a 6’7 wing from High Point. He started 58 games in the past two seasons, averaging 14.2 ppg and 6.7 rpg. This past season, the Big South transfer had 10+ points in each of the last 13 games, including 26 points on 8/13 shooting (3/4 from deep) on the road at Radford.

Austin is an average shooter from deep at 32% on over six attempts a game but what makes him an interesting prospect is that he led High Point in both three-pointers and blocks. He’s an elite athlete and quality shot-blocker, including six in a single game against Winthrop.

A case can be made that Austin could be the next Mo Gueye for the Panthers on the defensive end. And with the likes of Hinson, Johnson, and others, this transfer doesn’t have to be an elite scorer but rather fill in the other holes such as rebounding and defense on the wing. And depending on what else happens, could also play some four-ball as well.