EIU Guard Alex Austin Will Transfer to Illinois Basketball

There's a new addition to the basketball team.

Alex Austin, the son of former Purdue star Wood Austin, is set to transfer from Eastern Illinois and walk-on with the Illini. The six-foot-four Guard from Chicago will be forced to sit out a year before becoming eligible for his remaining two seasons.  So while you won't see him playing this Winter, look for Austin to provide some spot minutes throughout the 2015-16 season.

Austin made his desire to transfer known back in April on the heels of an 11-19 season.  "This decision was not easy for me and I will miss being a part of the Panther family" said Austin, "I have made the decision to pursue a basketball program with a focus on enhancing my strengths as a player and a school with an academically rigorous program."

The Chicago Mount Carmel High School product had a standout freshman season with the Panthers.  He averaged 9.3 ppg on 46 percent shooting while starting 20 of 32 games. He was also named OVC freshman of the week five times.

It was a different story during his sophomore campaign.  After starting 16 of the first 17 games, Austin didn't start in any of the last 10 due to disciplinary reasons.  His scoring average dipped from 10.7 to 7.0 as the season drew to a close.

With this latest addition, the Illini will have ten players from the state of Illinois on the roster (six from Chicago).

Fun fact: Alex Austin is the player-to-be-named-later in EIU's deal for former Illini Associate AD Tom Michael. (Not really.) [Or is he?]

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