Nebraska Men's Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Thursday that All-Conference USA guard Brice Williams will transfer to Nebraska for the 2023-24 season.
Williams, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound guard from Huntersville, N.C., spent the last four seasons at Charlotte, earning second-team C-USA honors in 2022-23 while leading the 49ers to the CBI Championship. In his three seasons with Charlotte, he totaled 801 points and 329 rebounds. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
"Brice provides a lot of versatility and can play several spots in our system," Hoiberg said. "He is a three-level scorer who moves well without the ball and a high-volume 3-point shooter who shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc last season. He provides length and experience on the perimeter and led Charlotte to the CBI championship in March. Brice also has a very good understanding of the game, as his father Henry was a great college player and played professionally in Europe for a long time."
Last season, he played in all 32 games for the 49ers, averaging a team-high 13.8 points per game as Charlotte won 22 games in 2022-23. A second-team All-Conference USA pick, Williams ranked among C-USA leaders in scoring (eighth), rebounding (15th), free throw percentage (.843, fifth) and 3-pointers per game (1.6, 14th). He was named the MVP of the CBI after averaging 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in Charlotte's tournament run. He posted a pair of double-doubles in the event, including a 14-point, 11-rebound effort in the semifinals. Williams, who missed the 2021-22 season with an injury, was a two-time C-USA player of the Week and earned USBWA National Player of the Week in early January after averaging 31.0 points on 78 percent shooting. 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in a pair of wins. In all, Williams had a trio of 30-point games and 23 double-figure efforts. He
earned his second weekly honor in late February by averaging 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in wins over North Texas and Rice.
Williams saw significant action in 2020-21, averaging 9.7 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. He totaled 14 double-figure efforts, including a season-high 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting in a win over UAB. Williams played in 27 games as a true freshman in 2019-20.
He was one of the top 20 seniors in the state of North Carolina at Hopewell High School. As a senior he was a second-team Charlotte Observer All-Mecklenburg County pick after averaging 21.2 points and 5.3 rebounds as a senior. His father, Henry, is Charlotte's all-timeo leading scorer with 2,383 points and had his No. 34 jersey retired in 1992.
Paying my dues
I first considered turning professional around my junior year of college.
I was playing at a tournament and talking to some guys from Oklahoma State who were preparing to play at the next level.
At that moment, I had a realization. These guys weren’t that much better than me, so if they could play professionally, I could, too, right?
I received the answer to my question after my last year of eligibility at Nebraska in 1999, which was a special season.
We qualified for the NCAAs, and it was a blast to be a part of.
I was far from the best golfer on the team, but we left our mark in having one of the best seasons in the history of the program, so I’ll always look back on that time with fun memories and a great group of guys.
In college, the university takes such great care of you, you’re essentially just out there playing for a score and placement.
At the professional level, you’re trying to make a living.
All by yourself.
I started playing in small tournaments where I had to cover my own expenses. The pressure mounts when the shots I take are dependent on my entry fees, gas money, rent, equipment, etc.
Every shot matters.
Working your way up to the top of the mountain certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, but my love for golf always kept me in it.
My dedication to the game paid off in 2003 when I reached a milestone in gaining status for the first time in my early career.
"Well done teammate! Bringing hope to us more experienced players. GBR!"
Former Nebraska Teammate Ryan NietfeldtI gained status on the Nationwide Tour (now known as the Korn Ferry Tour) in 2003, and that was a monumental point in my career. That’s when I finally could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
At the end of the 2004 season, the crowning achievement in my career came when I earned PGA status for the 2005 season.
I finally reached my ultimate goal of playing at the highest level, but it wouldn’t last forever.
From 2005-2011, I bounced back and forth between playing on the PGA and Nationwide Tour. It was frustrating at times not consistently staying all the way on top, but fighting to make my way back always kept me motivated.
The good news was, I earned my PGA card again for the 2011 season.
The bad news was, I had foot injuries that would force me to step away from the game and take time off.
I had more questions than answers on the future of my golf career at that point.