IOWA CITY - If the Iowa River had stayed in its banks last summer, Cully Payne figures he might have decided to join the Iowa basketball program months ago.

The 6-foot-1 point guard from Schaumburg, Ill., made a verbal commitment to sign with the Hawkeyes on Thursday following a home visit by coach Todd Lickliter.

"Everything fits. The coaches, the campus, the program, I liked it all. I couldn't be happier with my decision," Payne said. "I just wish I could have gotten to this point sooner."

Payne originally committed to DePaul as an eighth grader, but re-opened his recruitment following his junior season at Schaumburg High School.

His schedule at that time included a visit to Iowa, but flooding in the Iowa City area forced the cancellation of an elite basketball camp at Carver-Hawkeye Arena he planned to attend.

Before he could reschedule a visit to Iowa, Payne did visit Alabama and made a verbal commitment last summer to join that program, signing a letter of intent last November.

But because of the dismissal of coach Mike Gottfried, Payne asked for and was granted a release from that letter from the Southeastern Conference school on March 30.

"I was comfortable with everything there until the coaching situation changed," Payne said. "I'm glad I was able to open things up again at that time. Once I visited Iowa, it didn't take me long to make up my mind."

The left-handed shooting Payne led his high school team to a 14-2 start as a senior, averaging 22 points and 5.5 assists, but a back injury ended his season with the Saxons in late January.

"That was a shame because he was having the type of season you hope every senior can have," Schaumburg coach Bob Williams said.

"He's the type of player that you don't see a lot these days - the kind of player who will do everything he can to make his team better. That is where it starts with him."

Payne will sign with the Hawkeyes Wednesday.

Contact Steve Batterson at (563) 383-2280 or sbatterson@qctimes.com