CHARLOTTE — Photographers don’t ordinarily expect to find players diving over them, desperately trying anything to retain possession of the ball in a 34-point game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
But they’ll have to cut Marvin Williams a little slack. He’s a freshman — he might not know any better.
What Williams does know, however, is the game of basketball, and he proved it once again with two sensational games in the tournament’s opening weekend.
The 6-foot-9 forward scored 20 points and snagged eight rebounds against an overwhelmed Oakland squad in North Carolina’s first-round win on Friday. He then one-upped himself on Sunday, compiling a double-double before halftime and finishing with a final line of 20 points and 15 rebounds.
“Marvin had two great games, and hopefully, he’ll continue to play that way,” said forward David Noel. “He’s definitely in a league of his own.”
And while he still hasn’t started a game for the top-seeded Tar Heels this season, Williams’ impact transcended his role in his first two NCAA Tournament games.
“If you don’t win, you have to go home, and I think everybody realizes that,” Williams said. “Everybody plays a little bit harder, and I’ve just been trying to play hard and contribute as much as I can.”
Players who consistently deliver maximum effort, however, often hit a proverbial wall during their freshman seasons. But Williams, who also has fought through the pain of a sprained toe for more than a month, refuses to let the wall touch him.
Part of his endurance can be attributed to the Tar Heels’ depth up front. The ability of Sean May and Jawad Williams to play quality minutes against the nation’s best big men has allowed Marvin Williams to play only 22 minutes a game, easing his transition into the college game.
