Iowa prep point guard Marcus Paige has committed to play for coach Roy Williams at North Carolina.

Paige is UNC's first pledge from the 2012 class.

Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Virginia and others tried to recruit the guard.

Paige is the fifth player from Iowa that Williams has recruiting successfully during his NCAA coaching career.

Raef LaFrentz, Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich and Harrison Barnes were all from Iowa.

"I know that Carolina was in late on him with Harrison. They made up tons of ground. With Hinrich and Collison, he was relentless in their recruiting," said Martin Bros. coach Hank Huddleson.

"I know that he told Paige that he would see him every time he could see him. He said he wasn't sending his assistants, he said he was coming. It was like the big dog took him by the horns and went with it."