MSU senior center Adreian Payne accepted an invitation to try out for the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team that will compete at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia from July 6-17.
Twenty-nine of the top college basketball players from across the country will attempt to crack the 12-man roster.
On April 28, Payne announced that he would return to MSU his for senior season and forgo the NBA draft.
Payne will travel to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., which will take place June 24-30.
The 12-member roster will be announced July 1 prior to the team’s departure for Russia.
The team is coached by Davidson’s Bob McKillop and assisted by Michigan’s John Beilein and South Carolina’s Frank Martin.
In the 2012-13 season, Payne earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in a highly competitive conference.
Payne led MSU in rebounding (7.6 rpg), finishing third in the Big Ten. He also ranked third on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) and first in the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (.848).
With a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Payne ranks third all time at MSU with 113 career blocks. His sophomore season, he finished with 46 blocks (1.3 bpg), finishing seventh in the Big Ten.
As a junior, Payne improved his game on the offensive side of the court.
The 6-foot-10 center improved his ability to hit the three last season, hitting 13 three-pointers last season compared to only one three his sophomore season.
Payne averaged 12.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in the last 19 games of the season, becoming a go-to player down the stretch for the Spartans in the thick of Big Ten play.
He led MSU with nine double-doubles, six of which were in the final 11 games.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
