Marcus Paige targeting Maryland game as his season debut

By foxsports
Published

The absence of Marcus Paige was noticeable as top-ranked North Carolina blew a 16-point lead and was handed an upset loss at Northern Iowa on Saturday.But the Tar Heels could have their star point guard back soon, according to Andrew Carter of the News & Observer. 

Paige told Carter after North Carolina's 80-69 win over Northwestern in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic semifinals that he is "very close" to getting back. He has apparently targeted his return for UNC's game against No. 2 Maryland. Paige is still recovering from a broken right hand he suffered in early November.

“I would say in the 90s that I do play, percentage-wise,” Paige said. “In the odd chance that I disrupt the progress somehow in the next couple of days then I probably won't play. But it's going to be extremely difficult not be on that court December 1.”.

North Carolina hosts Maryland on Dec. 1, part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Paige averaged 14.1 points and 4.5 assists per game as a junior.