Marcus Paige Weighs In On Tar Heels

Junior point guard Marcus Paige isn’t having the kind of season, at least statistically; many pundits were expecting from the preseason All-American candidate. But the humble Paige, although not very vocal, remains the unquestioned leader of the 11-3 Tar Heels and recently weighed in on the state of the team.

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Paige isn’t the most outspoken Carolina player on the floor, but he’s never been bashful when it comes to telling it like it is.

He says the Tar Heels have been missing far too many easy shots around the basket and points the finger at a toughness issue.

“If you can get the ball two or three feet around the basket, at that point, it comes to being tough enough to finish the play. I don’t know if there is a whole lot you can say to change that,” Paige says.

The 71-70 home loss to No.13 Notre Dame hit the entire team hard. But Paige says it’s not for the lack of opportunities that Carolina came out on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

“The hoop had a lid on it in the end. You have to make some of those. Those didn’t go in,” Paige says.

It’s true the Tar Heels rallied admirably back from a double-digit deficit in the second half. The main sparkplug for the comeback? Freshman Theo Pinson.

Pinson’s play on both ends of the floor rallied the team and fired up the crowd at a time when the energy was waning in the sleepy Smith Center.

Paige, though, says he’s not surprised by the freshman’s level of impact. He says Pinson needs to believe in his immense talent and let himself go on the basketball court.

“He was that guy that responded with his energy. I told him at halftime we need him to make those kind of plays more often. Don’t just try to fit in. Be aggressive and make plays. He did a great job of giving us a lift in the second half,” Paige says.

What’s more, Paige likes the fact that Pinson is what he’s not as comfortable with being – a vocal and emotional force.

“He has a lot of energy and is one of the most talkative guys on the team. That plays well for him to try and lead. And obviously, when he makes plays, that’s backing it up. I was proud of the way he played,” Paige says.

Clearly, Pinson and the Tar Heels have plenty of room to grow this season, and there’s time do just that. It’s still January.

Paige recognizes this and says he’s not discouraged by the start to the ACC campaign. He’s putting things in perspective and says he still believes the Tar Heels are improving with each game that passes.

“We’re getting there. A couple possessions change here and there and we have a win. The vibe is completely different,” Paige says.

Yes, there’s a fine line between winning and losing in major college basketball, especially at the ACC level, where there is no rest for the weary.

Next up for Paige and the growing Tar Heels is a Saturday showdown with Rick Pitino and No. 5 Louisville in the Smith Center.