Guard Payton Willis transfers to Minnesota for 2nd time

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Payton Willis, the latest transfer to join Minnesota's revamped roster, will return for his second stint with the Gophers.

Minnesota announced Wednesday the addition of Willis, a 6-foot-4 guard who played last season at the College of Charleston. He averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 40% from 3-point range, both career highs.

The native of Fayetteville, Arkansas, spent two years prior to that with the Gophers. He sat out the 2018-19 season per the old NCAA transfer rule and finished fourth on the team in 2019-20 with an average of 8.9 points per game. Willis played his first two years at Vanderbilt.

Willis is the sixth confirmed incoming transfer under new coach Ben Johnson, joining forwards Jamison Battle (George Washington) and Parker Fox (Northern State) and guards Luke Loewe (William & Mary), E.J. Stephens (Lafayette) and Sean Sutherlin (New Hampshire).

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