http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/players/marcus_paige/241417 Recent articles about Marcus Paige en-us North Carolina's just-concluded basketball season was an anomaly of sorts. It just didn't make sense on several levels, especially when compared to the programs fabled history. UNC traditionally has top-flight top point guards and post players, but this season lacked significantly at both crucial positions. Freshman Marcus Paige made strides at the point over the last two months, but his performance still won't compare favorably to most of Carolina's previous lead guards. Carolina couldn't effectively run its offense through the post, and until Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams changed to a smaller lineup, the Heels were unpredictable and often unproductive on offense especially against the bigger and equally gifted teams. And that's really how this season should be remembered: The Tar Heels just couldn't climb into that next echelon of teams. How this season compares to the past reveals that quite clearly. For example, the Tar Heels finished 25-11, posting double-figure loss Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:36:17 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jones_heels_could_be_a_top_5_club_next_year/13232674 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jones_heels_could_be_a_top_5_club_next_year/13232674 Jones: Heels could be a top-5 club next year http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/jones_heels_could_be_a_top_5_club_next_year/13232674 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png In the grand scheme of things, rankings in college basketball mean absolutely nothing. They dont affect the national championship picture, nor have anything to do with NCAA tournament seeding. That's why North Carolina and its vast legion of supporters shouldnt worry about the Tar Heels omission from either major poll this week. At 21-8 overall and 11-5 in the ACC while riding a five-game winning streak, UNC has quickly become the third-best team in the conference and is playing like a top-20 club, even if the nations voters choose to keep them from the rankings. A major reason is the play of freshman point guard Marcus Paige. The Iowa native has struggled for much of UNCs season, though he showed bouts of improvement in January. But once Roy Williams inserted P.J. Hairston into the starting lineup in place of Desmond Hubert, Paige has been a much better player. "It feels good to be able to not think so much and just play and attack the basket," Paige said after Sundays win over Florida State Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:29:45 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/unc_peaking_at_right_time_before_acc_tourney/13056268 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/unc_peaking_at_right_time_before_acc_tourney/13056268 UNC peaking at right time before ACC tourney http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/unc_peaking_at_right_time_before_acc_tourney/13056268 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/1/71688e6ac9c71eaef00f71f64b789485d4711c40/mini/6769288.jpg CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The prevalent thought entering Saturday’s North Carolina-N.C. State rivalry tilt was that Lorenzo Brown would once again win his matchup with Marcus Paige. The rookie from Marion, Iowa proved those prognosticators wrong in directing UNC’s 76-65 win over the Wolfpack. Sat, 23 Feb 2013 20:39:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/paige_prevails/12979282 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/paige_prevails/12979282 Paige Prevails http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/paige_prevails/12979282 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/1/71688e6ac9c71eaef00f71f64b789485d4711c40/mini/6769288.jpg North Carolina knew it would have to rely on Marcus Paige to develop the point this season. The freshman had a rough time in a matchup with one of the Atlantic Coast Conference's best point guards in a hostile arena. Paige finished with seven points on 2-for-11 shooting while being outplayed by Lorenzo Brown in a 91-83 loss at No. 18 North Carolina State on Saturday night. Paige missed his first eight shots and didn't score until the Tar Heels started their frantic second-half comeback from a deficit that reached 28 points. At one point, coach Roy Williams yanked Paige and put him on the bench alongside No. 2 ballhandler Dexter Strickland while third-stringer Luke Davis played early in the second half. ''He pulled me and Dexter for not sprinting back one or two times, and that was a big emphasis in the game,'' Paige said. ''So he was kind of sending us a message like, `Hey, you need to do what we're telling you to do. Do you job.' Stuff like that. It ended up working Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:06:12 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/no_18_nc_state_tops_rival_north_carolina_91_83/12763516 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/no_18_nc_state_tops_rival_north_carolina_91_83/12763516 No. 18 NC State tops rival North Carolina 91-83 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/no_18_nc_state_tops_rival_north_carolina_91_83/12763516 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png January isnt here yet, but North Carolina may already be in resume-watching mode. Tar Heels supporters have generally viewed the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) with respect to North Carolina's worthiness for a No. 1, 2 or 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Forget the stress of being on the NCAA fence. But with just one nonconference game remaining before UNC dives into a new 18-game ACC format, Roy Williams team has done little to build its resume. And if the unranked Heels cant beat No. 20 UNLV on Saturday at the Dean Dome, it must use conference play to make its case for inclusion come March. Asked Friday if its too early to worry about tournament resumes, Williams told the media, Its not for you guys, but it is for us. Honestly, has Williams ever been asked about the tournament so early in a season before? Only two of his teams have failed to qualify. His first Kansas squad was on probation and the 2010 Tar Heels were decimated by injuries and barely missed out. Otherwise, the Hall of Fame coach&#39 Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:50:03 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/unc_seeks_resume_building_win_over_unlv/12527557 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/unc_seeks_resume_building_win_over_unlv/12527557 UNC seeks resume-building win over UNLV http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/unc_seeks_resume_building_win_over_unlv/12527557 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Marcus Paige learned North Carolina’s up-tempo offense efficiently enough through the first two months of the season. On Saturday, he added a personal touch to the equation in UNC’s 97-63 win over McNeese State. Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:24:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/paiges_personal_touch/12499966 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/paiges_personal_touch/12499966 Paige’s Personal Touch http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/paiges_personal_touch/12499966 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Freshman point guard Marcus Paige returned to North Carolina’s starting lineup against East Tennessee State on Saturday after missing last week’s game due to a shoulder injury. Sat, 08 Dec 2012 23:25:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/paige_moves_past_setback/12395719 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/paige_moves_past_setback/12395719 Paige Moves Past Setback http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/paige_moves_past_setback/12395719 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Following North Carolina's season-opening win over Gardner-Webb on Friday night, freshman Marcus Paige conducted his first interview as a Tar Heel ... Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:50:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/marcus_paige_q_a/12172945 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/marcus_paige_q_a/12172945 Marcus Paige Q&A http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/marcus_paige_q_a/12172945 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Gardner-Webb vs North Carolina With the gridiron still going on (and going strong), with many former UNC basketball and football players earning a living at the next level, it’s finally time to see #11 AP/#12 USA Today North Carolina (0-0) begin their hardwoods season tonight against in-state opponent Gardner-Webb (0-0) at the Dean Dome, with tip off time being 7:00 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on RSN/ESPN3 as well as being on the radio on the Heels Sports Network, where it will be called by Jones Angell and Rick Steinbacher. UNC is 90-12 in season openers (95-7 home openers), but needed a shot from beyond the arc with time running out in order to beat this same program to start off the `05-`06 season. Altogether these two teams have played one another three times, all the games being home openers for Carolina and all of them going to the Tar Heels. On the other hand, the first three games between the two teams were never with the Tar Heels having lost four starters to the ... Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:13:04 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/unc_basketball_carolina_begins_its_season_versus_gardner_webb/12170713 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/unc_basketball_carolina_begins_its_season_versus_gardner_webb/12170713 UNC Basketball: Carolina begins its season versus Gardner-Webb http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/unc_basketball_carolina_begins_its_season_versus_gardner_webb/12170713 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png