Minnesota transfer big Pharrel Payne expected to visit Indiana basketball

Indiana basketball will have another visitor after the dead period ends at the end of the week and it’s a familiar name.

According to Darren Wolfson of 5 News outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota transfer big Pharrel Payne is expected to be on campus at Indiana later this week. The dead period runs from April 4 to April 11.

Payne appeared in 32 games this season and averaged 10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He started 15 of the last 16 games of the season.

Payne had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks at Indiana this season.

Payne is a 6-foot-9 and 250-pound big man who is a good shot blocker and rebounder. He ranked second in the Big Ten in offensive rebound percent this season. He had a 12.6 percent offensive rebound rate. For reference, Indiana basketball center Kel’el Ware had an offensive rebound rate of 7.9 percent. Trayce Jackson-Davis had a rate of 10.1 percent as a senior and never more than a 11.8 rate — which was his freshman season.

Payne — who averaged 23.3 minutes per game — had a per-40 minute average of 17.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.4 blocks per game.

He is strictly a paint threat and will not be an option from the perimeter. He took just one three last year. He shot 60.2 percent from the floor.

Other programs interested in Payne are Louisville, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M.

He has two more seasons of eligibility remaining.

SEE ALSO: Could John Calipari’s expected departure from Kentucky cause ripple effect for Indiana basketball?

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