CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — After missing out on sharpshooter Nick Timberlake, the North Carolina Tar Heels struck quickly to land their third transfer of the cycle in Notre Dame guard Cormac Ryan.
Ryan averaged 12.3 points, four rebounds, and 2.5 assists last year for the Irish, while shooting 40.9% from the floor and 34.4% from the three point line.
Alongside Louisville forward Jae'Lyn Withers and Brown wing Paxson Wojcik, the Tar Heels are continuing to put together a more cohesive backcourt alongside returner RJ Davis and of course star big man Armando Bacot.
Locked on Tar Heels host Isaac Schade believes Ryan is the perfect fit in the backcourt, thanks to his experience, consistency, and familiarity with the ACC.
"Cormac Ryan has already been a consistent contributor and a guy that can really pour it in when he needs to, at the ACC level," Schade said. "You always like to see a seasoned Power-6 player coming in and transferring."
Davis and Ryan is the likely backcourt pairing for the Tar Heels heading into 2023-24, although the team remains on the hunt for more help - including a potential huge addition in Harrison Ingram from Stanford.
Davis and Caleb Love, who has since transferred to Michigan, were a talented but ultimately incompatible pairing - making this addition a critical one for coach Hubert Davis.
If Ryan and Davis learn to play well together, and with Bacot, this team should find themselves back in the NCAA Tournament next season - and potentially in a spot to really make some noise in the big dance.