Jan. 15--ATLANTA -- Notre Dame may be without one of its key contributors for an extended period of time.
Irish forward Zach Auguste will miss Wednesday's game against Georgia Tech, to deal with an academic matter, a source confirmed to the Tribune. He did not travel with the team, a team spokesperson said.
The source added it was "too soon to know" how long Auguste would be out. Coach Mike Brey is expected to address the situation after Wednesday's game. However, one source said the Irish are confident Auguste will return at some point this season.
Auguste is still enrolled at the school, a school spokesman confirmed, meaning Auguste may not be facing a season-long suspension as guard Jerian Grant had last season for the Irish. Classes began Tuesday at Notre Dame, meaning whatever issue Auguste is dealing with likely occurred last semester. ESPN first reported Auguste was suspended for academic reasons.
Auguste's loss comes at inopportune time for the No. 12 Irish, who have started 15-2 this season but are thin on frontcourt depth. The 6-foot-10 Auguste was averaging 14.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His loss will especially hurt against the Yellow Jackets, who had 19 offensive rebounds in the Irish's 83-76 victory on Jan. 3. Freshman Martinas Geben got the start for Auguste on Wednesday.
Martin Geben got the start for the Irish but Brey used a three-man rotation of Geben, sophomore Austin Torres and little-used freshman Bonzie Colson to replace Auguste. The Irish trail 38-30 at halftime.
Notre Dame's recent history of academic misfortune involving high-profile athletes has been well documented.
Last season, Grant played in only 12 games before he was suspended for the rest of the season for an academic matter. But Brey also suspended guard Demetrius Jackson for two games last season so Jackson could re-focus on academics.
Notre Dame lost four football players this season to an academic suspension and a fifth, senior Eilar Hardy, missed eight games and quarterback Everett Golson missed the 2013 season because of an academic infraction.
chine@tribpub.com
Twitter @ChristopherHine
