UNC’s Marcus Paige to start against Maryland

North Carolina is getting their point guard back in time for a big-time game.

Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said Monday that Marcus Paige would start Tuesday night when the No. 9 Heels host No. 2 Maryland in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (ESPN, 9:30 p.m).

“I feel good … I don’t have any pain,” Paige said of his broken right hand.

Paige fractured the third metacarpal on his right (non-shooting) hand in practice on Nov. 3. The Maryland game will be exactly four weeks from that date.

Paige has received a number of first-team preseason All-America honors and was selected the Co-Preseason Player of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

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Written by Adam Zagoria

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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.