Former Northwestern standout Pete Nance wasn’t originally on UNC’s radar in terms of adding a transfer player. With Brady Manek’s eligibility gone, the Tar Heels were seeking help in terms of a forward.
But as the weeks went on, they shifted the focus to Nance and in the end he picked the Tar Heels.
On Monday, Nance made his debut for the Tar Heels doing so in front of the crowd in the Dean Dome as UNC beat UNC-Wilmington 69-56. Before the game, Nance admitted that he couldn’t stop smiling as they went through the introductions, showing how special the moment was for him as Inside Carolina’s Ross Martin notes:
UNC's Pete Nance on his first Smith Center experience as a Tar Heel: "It was awesome. When they were doing the starting lineups just couldn't stop smiling. The energy in the building was great and it was something that I had never experienced before, so it was really cool for me"
— Ross Martin (@RossMartin_IC) November 8, 2022
Nance went on to finish the game with 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists but was a factor defensively. When Armando Bacot left the game after his fourth foul in the second half, Nance stepped in at the five and played well.
That’s something UNC didn’t have last year. The stats will come for Nance as the games go on but it’s nice to see how truly special the moment was for him.
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