Minnesota Transfer Pharrel Payne Plans to Visit Indiana
Indiana has several visits scheduled with transfer portal prospects in April, including Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne.
Indiana will host a visit for Minnesota transfer Pharrel Payne later this week, according to Darren Wolfson of KSTP in Minneapolis.
The dead period for recruiting extends through Thursday, but Indiana has upcoming visits scheduled with Connor Hickman (April 14), Kanaan Carlyle (April 19-21) and Amari Williams (April 19-20).
Payne is a 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward with two years of eligibility. As a sophomore at Minnesota in 2023-24, he averaged 10 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He shot 60.2% from the field and 47.2% from the free throw line while starting 19-of-32 games and playing 23.3 minutes per game.
Despite a 74-62 loss, Payne played especially well for Minnesota at Indiana on Jan. 12, 2024. He scored a team-high 17 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in 30 minutes off the bench.
Payne was one of Minnesota's top options off the bench as a freshman in 2022-23, averaging 8.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He was even more efficient, shooting 69.3% from the field but just 48.6% from the free throw line.
Payne has attempted just one 3-point shot in his college career, but his strong base and good footwork helped him become one of the most efficient interior scorers in the Big Ten. His 69.3 field goal percentage led the Big Ten in 2022-23, and he ranked seventh as a sophomore.
Indiana lost a big chunk of its front court from the 2023-24 season. Starting center Kel'el Ware declared for the NBA Draft, while Anthony Walker graduated and Payton Sparks transferred back to Ball State. Indiana still has 6-foot-9 forward Malik Reneau for next season, who averaged 15.4 points in a breakout sophomore year, but Payne would fill a definite need with six open scholarships remaining.
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