Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Feeling At Home
12/13/2018 9:36:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Grad transfer Larry Austin Jr. makes a major impact in first season at CMU
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Taken on the whole, the impact that Larry Austin Jr. has made one-third of the way through is first and only season as a Chippewa has been extraordinary.
But not at all unexpected.
The senior guard is leading the CMU men and is tied for 65th nationally in scoring at 19.6 points per game, and he ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 4.6 assists per game.
On Monday, Austin was named the MAC West Division Player of the Week for the second time this season after averaging 22 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.0 steals in leading CMU to wins over Youngstown State (in triple overtime) and Southern Utah.
Austin has teamed with fellow senior guard Shawn Roundtree Jr. to give the Chippewas a veteran backcourt that not only produces numbers (Roundtree ranks third on the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game), but equally as important serves as a steadying influence.
If Austin's talent drew the eye of CMU coach Keno Davis, his leadership abilities, experience and maturity closed the deal. Austin spent two seasons at Xavier in the Big East and then two – one of which was a redshirt year – at Vanderbilt in the SEC.
"You definitely can tell that he's been around, playing in big conferences and in big games," said CMU junior Kevin McKay, who ranks second on the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game and is its leading rebounder (7.7 rpg). "When we play teams like TCU or somebody like that, having him as our point guard kind of calms us in knowing that he's been there before, he's not going to crack under pressure."
The Chippewas are 8-2 and are off until Wednesday, Dec. 19 when they entertain UMKC in a nonconference game. Two more home nonleaguers – the first against Jackson State (Dec. 22) and the second against Indiana-South Bend (Dec. 30) – are the docket ahead of the Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday, Jan. 5 at Miami (Ohio).
Certainly, Austin's basketball resumé is impressive. What he has accomplished at CMU, and what potentially is out there for the taking over the next three-odd months, is something he has long sought: He has started all 10 games and is averaging 31 minutes. In short, he is part of the core and a key cog on a team that could be headed somewhere.
"I'm having a lot of fun," Austin said. "This is what I wanted, and I'm taking it game by game, staying in the moment and not looking too far forward. It's going by fast to be honest. I'm just grateful that coach Keno (Davis) and the staff gave me another opportunity to play."
CMU is averaging 85.9 points per game, which ranks second in the MAC and 16th nationally. A spot among the national leaders in scoring is not uncommon for the Davis-coached Chippewas. A year ago, CMU finished 58th in the nation at 78.8 ppg and two years ago, it was third at 88.3. In those days, the Chippewas earned a reputation as group of bombers, averaging 11.2 3-pointers per game over those two seasons combined.
Same result, different route. The Chippewas are averaging 7.3 triples per game this season, but Austin has attempted just seven 3-pointers on the year. The Chippewas are scoring by taking the ball to the basket, and a byproduct of that aggressiveness is foul calls.
The Chippewas lead the nation with 313 free throw attempts. Austin is 18th nationally in free throw attempts with 74, but he has made less than 60 percent of those tries. The 22-year-old with a degree from Vanderbilt knows full well that he has to improve on that number.
"We definitely have to lock in on that -- me 10 times more than anybody else," he said. "Free throws are going to win us games, on the road especially. They're free throws; they're free. I should be knocking them down. I'm going to continue to work on it."
And working on, particularly when it comes to Austin, it isn't a concern for Davis.
"I think Larry is very representative of this team," Davis said. "He works extremely hard, he's driven to be great individually and to have a great team. This team can improve if they keep their work ethic where it is. It'll be exciting to see where this team could finish."
But not at all unexpected.
The senior guard is leading the CMU men and is tied for 65th nationally in scoring at 19.6 points per game, and he ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 4.6 assists per game.
On Monday, Austin was named the MAC West Division Player of the Week for the second time this season after averaging 22 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.0 steals in leading CMU to wins over Youngstown State (in triple overtime) and Southern Utah.
Austin has teamed with fellow senior guard Shawn Roundtree Jr. to give the Chippewas a veteran backcourt that not only produces numbers (Roundtree ranks third on the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game), but equally as important serves as a steadying influence.
If Austin's talent drew the eye of CMU coach Keno Davis, his leadership abilities, experience and maturity closed the deal. Austin spent two seasons at Xavier in the Big East and then two – one of which was a redshirt year – at Vanderbilt in the SEC.
"You definitely can tell that he's been around, playing in big conferences and in big games," said CMU junior Kevin McKay, who ranks second on the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game and is its leading rebounder (7.7 rpg). "When we play teams like TCU or somebody like that, having him as our point guard kind of calms us in knowing that he's been there before, he's not going to crack under pressure."
The Chippewas are 8-2 and are off until Wednesday, Dec. 19 when they entertain UMKC in a nonconference game. Two more home nonleaguers – the first against Jackson State (Dec. 22) and the second against Indiana-South Bend (Dec. 30) – are the docket ahead of the Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday, Jan. 5 at Miami (Ohio).
Certainly, Austin's basketball resumé is impressive. What he has accomplished at CMU, and what potentially is out there for the taking over the next three-odd months, is something he has long sought: He has started all 10 games and is averaging 31 minutes. In short, he is part of the core and a key cog on a team that could be headed somewhere.
"I'm having a lot of fun," Austin said. "This is what I wanted, and I'm taking it game by game, staying in the moment and not looking too far forward. It's going by fast to be honest. I'm just grateful that coach Keno (Davis) and the staff gave me another opportunity to play."
CMU is averaging 85.9 points per game, which ranks second in the MAC and 16th nationally. A spot among the national leaders in scoring is not uncommon for the Davis-coached Chippewas. A year ago, CMU finished 58th in the nation at 78.8 ppg and two years ago, it was third at 88.3. In those days, the Chippewas earned a reputation as group of bombers, averaging 11.2 3-pointers per game over those two seasons combined.
Same result, different route. The Chippewas are averaging 7.3 triples per game this season, but Austin has attempted just seven 3-pointers on the year. The Chippewas are scoring by taking the ball to the basket, and a byproduct of that aggressiveness is foul calls.
The Chippewas lead the nation with 313 free throw attempts. Austin is 18th nationally in free throw attempts with 74, but he has made less than 60 percent of those tries. The 22-year-old with a degree from Vanderbilt knows full well that he has to improve on that number.
"We definitely have to lock in on that -- me 10 times more than anybody else," he said. "Free throws are going to win us games, on the road especially. They're free throws; they're free. I should be knocking them down. I'm going to continue to work on it."
And working on, particularly when it comes to Austin, it isn't a concern for Davis.
"I think Larry is very representative of this team," Davis said. "He works extremely hard, he's driven to be great individually and to have a great team. This team can improve if they keep their work ethic where it is. It'll be exciting to see where this team could finish."
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