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Texas A&M Aggies' Pharrel Payne 'Gets Us Over The Hump' Says Wade Taylor IV

Texas A&M Aggies transfer forward Pharrel Payne scored a team-high 15 points in the loss to UCF.
Zach Dimmitt|
Butler Bulldogs forward Jalen Thomas (1) attempts to steal the ball away from Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Pharrel Payne (21) during the first half of an NCAA/NIT game, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis.
Butler Bulldogs forward Jalen Thomas (1) attempts to steal the ball away from Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Pharrel Payne (21) during the first half of an NCAA/NIT game, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis. | Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Texas A&M Aggies

The Texas A&M Aggies lost their season opener on the road to the UCF Knights Monday but there's still plenty for the team to feel positive about as they work their way through non-conference play.

Texas A&M transfer forward Pharrel Payne is one of the reasons why. After arriving from Minnesota this offseason, he has already left an impactful impression on his new teammates, so much so that Aggies star guard Wade Taylor IV thinks Payne could be the player that helps bring A&M to championship-level heights.

“I think Pharrel brings that piece that gets us over the hump,” Taylor said, per TexAgs. “I’m excited for Pharrel. I’m so thankful he came.”

In the loss to UCF, Payne finished with a team-high 15 points go along with six rebounds, one block and one steal.

Last season at Minnesota, Payne started 19 of 32 games while averaging 10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He had a season-high 21 points and 11 rebound in a win over Rutgers on Feb. 18.

"If he can have a presence for us at the rim, defensively, and (make opponents) commit a second defender, offensively, the way he was (vs. UCF), that should allow our perimeter to have more creases to drive and more of a long close-out to shoot from, which is good,” Williams said, per TexAgs. “In addition, it’s been a while since we’ve had somebody to score in the paint.”

The Aggies will face off against East Texas A&M at Reed Area on Friday night at 7 p.m. CT.

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

Zach Dimmitt is the Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He also contributes as a writer for the On SI channels of the Oregon Ducks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Buffalo Bills on SI, Philadelphia Eagles on SI and Seattle Seahawks on SI. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dimmitt received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He originally started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. In that time, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and has reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7

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