Marcus Paige makes splash in return

They’ve only been waiting four weeks for the return of Marcus Paige, but for the North Carolina faithful, it might as well have been an eternity.

And Tuesday night, as No. 9 UNC (6-1) hosted No. 2 Maryland (6-1) in the Smith Center, the impact of Paige’s return was felt even before the 6-foot-2 guard stepped on the court. Deafening applause greeted Paige as he was introduced as a starter for the first time this season.

“I think (the team) did get energy from Marcus,” said Coach Roy Williams. “I think they got great energy from our crowd ... they were sensational tonight. I think they were a big part of the win.”

Paige was the main driver of the noise, and he responded to the warm welcome with aplomb, assisting junior forward Kennedy Meeks for two points on the Tar Heels’ first possession of the game.

The next possession?

A Paige three-pointer of course. And the roar of the Smith Center sounded again, with UNC taking an early 5-0 lead.

“I got my first shot to go down, and that did a lot for me, mentally,” Paige said to a crowd of reporters after the game. “It wasn’t a great shot, but I was feeling it, so I shot it.

“Once that went in I kind of relaxed, and I was like, ‘Alright, you’re fine. Just play your game.’”

And that’s what Paige proceeded to do, scoring 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field — and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc — while dishing out five assists and grabbing a pair of rebounds to help lead UNC to an 89-81 victory over the Terrapins.

“It was great to see him come out as hot as he did,” said sophomore wing Justin Jackson, who scored nine points. “We’re just happy to have him back.”

While Paige’s shooting was certainly crucial, his play on the defensive end could have been equally important. Like with his two steals, or by drawing multiple charges to help swing the game’s momentum.

“I think one of the big plays was when we made two silly plays in a row, and on the second one we go down, and Marcus Paige takes a charge,” Williams said. “And that’s the kind of thing we’ve been missing the last six games.”

Like when he forced former Duke and current Maryland guard Rasheed Sulaimon out of bounds while trying to drive the lane just several minutes into the game.

These are the little moments where Paige makes a big difference for the Tar Heels. And after that simple, forgettable play, you could see the fire in Paige’s eyes — the joy of being back on the court as he grinned and clapped to the students in the risers behind him and his teammates on the bench beside him.

“I like my team,” Williams said. “I like it a lot better when No. 5 is out there.”

Return the deafening applause. Marcus Paige is back.

@CarlosACollazo

sports@dailytarheel.com