Juco transfer Austin Trice ready to make his public debut, boost K-State rebounding

Kansas State basketball coach Bruce Weber is cautiously optimistic that the Wildcats can transform one of their biggest weaknesses into one of their biggest strengths this season.

A year after ranking last in the Big 12 in rebounding, there is legitimate hope K-State is ready to become much more competitive on the glass

One look at Austin Trice explains why.

“He brings a ton,” senior K-State forward Dean Wade said. “He is an energy guy, he is running around the court yelling, laughing and having fun. He has the highest drive I have ever seen. His motor is always going, trying to get every rebound. Even if some other guy has it already he is still going after it.”

“I don’t know how he does it, but he is going to be a great, great rebounder for this team.”

Trice, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound junior college transfer from Chicago, seems like the missing piece for a roster that returns its entire starting lineup after winning 25 games advancing to the Elite Eight.

The Wildcats ranked last in Big 12 in both offensive rebounds (8.2) and defensive rebounds (22.5) per game and ranked 340th nationally in overall rebounds (30.7). They overcame those low numbers with exceptional play elsewhere, but it wasn’t always easy.

Outside of Dean Wade (6.2) and Xavier Sneed (5.1), no one else averaged more than 3.4 rebounds. When K-State lost, rebounding was typically a major factor.

Trice should help. It is hard to predict how much any new player will impact a college basketball team right away, but it seems like a safe bet that Trice will provide an upgrade down low. He was a rebounding machine at Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmell, Ill. last season, averaging 12.6 points and 12.1 rebounds.

When K-State’s NCAA Tournament run came to an end last season, Weber instructed his coaching staff to find the best rebounder available and they zeroed in on Trice. Landing him felt like a major recruiting victory.

“I know last year Coach Weber said they needed rebounding,” Trice said. “That is what I feel like I can bring to the team. If Barry (Brown) and Dean happen to miss a shot, I will do my best to go get it. That is if they miss.”

Trice is more than just a rebounder. He is also a talented athlete and one of the best dunkers on K-State’s roster. He leapt over fellow big man James Love during a preseason dunk contest and has poster-ized a handful of teammates during practice.

Weber likes him as a defender, too, because he can guard multiple positions.

He has turned lots of heads since he arrived over the summer.

“It has been a crazy transition from junior college to here,” Trice said, “but I have it under control and have been having a great time.”

K-State fans will get their first look at Trice in a game setting on Friday when the Wildcats play their lone exhibition game against Pittsburg State at 7 p.m. Friday in Bramlage Coliseum.

They can expect to see him improve at least one key area for the team.

“One of the number one things we need to do is rebounding, so obviously we addressed it, hopefully with Austin and bringing him in,” Weber said, “but it will also be (other) guys. Makol (Mawien) has to be better, Dean has to be better, Xavier has to be better. If they are all better, then you add Austin to the mix, they could take a negative and hopefully make it a strength.”