Zack Austin Shines As Pitt's Super Sub
PITTSBURGH -- When a coach changes their starting lineup, it usually comes with a negative connotation. It's usually disciplinary or reflective of disappointing play from a starter.
That was the case for Pitt and head coach Jeff Capel, who swapped the struggling Zack Austin and Federiko Federiko for Guillermo Diaz Graham and William Jeffress but they have spun this benching into a positive. Austin in particular, has risen to consistent heights he has rarely reached since joining the Panthers this season.
Austin was one of the stars of the night for the Panthers and he's now strung together consecutive strong performances in a new role as a reserve, taking his benching in stride and making his teammates proud in the process.
“I think it talks really good about him," Diaz Graham said. "How if even like you’re getting out of the starting lineup, you keep going, you don’t complain, you don’t complain, don’t make faces, just keep going, keep grinding and earn your points. So I’m really proud of him and I think it’s really good for him.”
In his first 10 games as a Panther - each of them starts - Austin averaged 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per contest while making just 39% of his field goals and 21% of his 3-point attempts. In two appearances off the bench, he's averaged 12 points, 5.5 rebounds, one assist and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 57% from the field and 33% from 3-point range.
The difference for Austin has been simple - playing just a little bit harder with more consistency.
“It really does — we say it a lot but it really does come down to just playing with force," Austin said. "I think I’ve just been trying more, locking in, not doing the things I was doing before, which was not playing with force. It gets repetitive but I got to play with force.”
Force means a lot of things to Austin and the Pitt coaching staff - moving without the ball, keeping his motor high all the time, using his athleticism and hunting good shots instead of settling for easy shots.
Capel even hinted before actually removing Austin from the starting lineup that there was an issue with his effort consistent and that he needed to keep it turned on all the time to be as good as he could. Consider that message received.
By flipping the switch, Austin has made Pitt deeper and more dangerous and he's turning it on at the right time, with ACC play on the horizon.
“Zack played with force - that’s a really, really important word for him," Capel said "And when he plays like that, we’re different.”
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