On Wednesday, Rutgers basketball signed its fourth player from the NCAA transfer portal when San Diego transfer PJ Hayes made his commitment.
Hayes will join the Scarlet Knights for his final year of eligibility. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound forward from Waconia, Minnesota adds some much-needed offense to Rutgers.
Last year at San Diego, Hayes averaged 10.5 points per game, shot 42.5 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three-point range for the Toreros.
At then No. 24 Gonzaga last year, Hayes scored 12 points and shot 38.5 percent from the field in a 101-74 loss.
During the 2023-24 season, Hayes led San Diego in made three-pointers (73) and three-point percentage (.397). Also, he was second among his team in free throw percentage (.791) and third in scoring last season.
Rutgers adds San Diego transfer PJ Hayes – who averaged 10.5 points and shot 40 percent from 3 this past season.
The 6-6 forward played his first three seasons at Black Hills State University – where he shot 43 percent from deep.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 22, 2024
Before transferring to San Diego, Hayes played three seasons at Black Hills State (Division II) where he shot 42.8 percent from beyond the arc. In his final season with the Yellow Jackets, he shot 45 percent from three-point range, ranking 13th in the nation.
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Hayes was named to the South-Central Region All-Tournament Team as a junior, recording a 40.5 three-point percentage and 225 points in 31 games.
Hayes brings his shooting ability to the Scarlet Knights, adding much-needed three-point shooting to Rutgers’ roster.
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