Indiana Guard Rob Phinisee Enters Transfer Portal As Graduate Transfer; 4th Hoosier to Move on

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It started as ''Big Shot Rob'' as a freshman for Indiana guard Rob Phinisee, and four years later, it's ending with a game-winning shot over Purdue in January that Hoosiers fans will remember forever, too.

But after four years, the big-moment but oft-interrupted career of the Lafayette, Ind., native at Indiana is over. Phinisee announced on Twitter on Friday morning that he is entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer and will play his fifth and final college season elsewhere.

"Thank you Indiana. Hoosier Nation, I'd like to thank you for all your continued support through all the ups and downs the past 4 years. Through it all you have stuck with me and supported me to continue my journey.

"After talking with my family, I have decided I will be entering my name in the transfer portal as a grad transfer for the 2022-23 season. I'd like to thank all my former teammates, coaches and managers for developing me and making my time enjoyable at Indiana. #ForeverAHoosier''

Thank you Indiana 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/9esejiCROJ
— Rob Phinisee (@robphinisee1) March 25, 2022

Phinisee has been a fan favorite throughout his career, right from the day he became the first player from Lafayette to leave enemy territory and come to Indiana since 1948. And then early in his freshman season, he hit a game-winning shot against Butler in the Crossroads Classic, and was immediately dubbed "Big Shot Rob.''

But he fought through injuries much of that season, and then was slowed by a bad abdominal injury to start his sophomore year and never got on track. As a junior, during the COVID year, he started 24 of 27 games but struggled with a shooting slump all year.

And this year, he missed three games with a calf injury early in the year, and then injured his foot in late January and missed seven more games, coming off the bench behind Xavier Johnson all season.

The highlight, though, came on Jan. 20 in a home game against Purdue, which was ranked No. 4 in the country at the time and had won nine games in a row in the bitter in-state rivalry. Phinisee went nuts that night, scoring a career-high 20 points and making a game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds to give Indiana a 68-65 win.

Phinisee played a total of 111 games with Indiana, finishing his career averaging 6.5 points and 2.8 assists per game.

He is the fourth Hoosier to leave this postseason. Sophomore guard Khristian Lander and senior center Michael Durr have entered the transfer portal and graduate student Parker Stewart announced Thursday night that he is moving on as well after five seasons in college. He told the Indianapolis Star that he was going to pursue his professional options first, but could also to return for a sixth year because of the COVID-19 pandemic rules.

Indiana finished 21-14 this season, and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years. They earned a bid thanks to wins over Michigan and Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, and then won a NCAA Tournament First Four game in Dayton over Wyoming before losing to Saint Mary's in the first round of the tournament in Portland, Ore.

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