Guard Alex Austin of the Eastern men’s basketball team has informed coach Jay Spoonhour that he intends to transfer.

The sophomore said he is looking for a system that better fits his game and a different environment to grow as a player and a person, but has not yet decided where he will transfer to.

“I planned to stay here all four years, but after my freshman year, coming into this year, I didn’t have as much of an impact as I thought I would,” Austin said.

He was the Panthers’ fourth leading scorer this season with seven points per game while adding 2.4 rebounds and one assist per game.

The Chicago native was second in 3-pointers made (31) while shooting 33 percent from behind the arc. Austin’s 83 percent from the free throw line also led the Panthers in the 2013-14 season.

Austin averaged 22.2 minutes, starting in 16 of the 27 games he played.

“I thought after my freshman year I’d be a key part of the team,” Austin said. “I just felt like I didn’t get the opportunity to play a bigger piece on the team.”

Austin won Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week five times last year. He finished the year averaging 9.3 points per game, shooting 37 percent from 3-point range.

In 2012-13, Austin averaged 23.8 minutes, starting in 20 of the 32 games he played.

“Last year I had the most points amongst freshman in the OVC, and this year I just felt like I turned into a role player,” Austin said.

Austin said he did not fit into this year’s game plan because there was a plethora of new players that brought size to the team, causing his shooting ability to be less necessary.

The Panthers’ inside game is what led them to clinching the No.7 seed in the OVC tournament for the second straight year, Austin said.

But the 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard still felt like he could have played a bigger piece.

As for Spoonhour, Austin said the Panthers’ head coach was 100 percent supportive in his decision.

“We appreciate his couple of years here,” Spoonhour said. “He’s a good kid and we wish him the best in his career. He deserves it.”

Spoonhour added: “This is just part of the game,” Spoonhour said. “Players transfer in and out every year. Players have only four years in college, so they need to go to a place that’s a good fit for them.”

Austin, who wants to go to a school that will utilize his outside shot, does not want to solely make his decision based on basketball, but also choose an environment that will further him as a person to the best of his abilities.

“I just want to go somewhere, where I can grow more as a player and a person,” Austin said. “Broaden my horizon, stretch my wings out.”

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.