Marcus Paige wins it in the final seconds Saturday

Marcus Paige couldn’t get back on defense. He physically couldn’t get down the court fast enough to pick up Terry Rozier when he heaved up a last second prayer, and when the final buzzer sounded meaning it was time to celebrate, Paige couldn’t even do that either.

Because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot and the beating he took Saturday, after the junior guard hit the game-winner that sent the Smith Center into a frenzy in No. 18 North Carolina’s 72-71 victory against No. 5 Louisville, the Tar Heels’ leader could only stand in the back corner of the locker room alone with the managers. He tried to "Jump Around,” but struggled — tried to partake in the craziness, but was too nervous he’d get pushed over.

There was one thing UNC’s hero could do, though, and perhaps at that moment it meant more than anything else.

“I said jokingly to my teammates that I was back,” he told the media minutes later. “I said, ‘I’m back guys.’’’

And he was right. Both literally and figuratively.

With 10:30 remaining in the second half and UNC down 10, Paige stepped on Louisville forward Montrezl Harrell’s foot, and immediately began limping in pain. Coach Roy Williams said Paige rolled his right ankle, and in turn, only further aggravated the foot injury. In the ensuing moments, hope looked all but lost for the Tar Heels, who gave up back to back field goals to the Cardinals, and eventually went down 13 without their floor general.

But three minutes and 13 seconds later, Paige — who couldn’t see the TV from his angle of the locker room, but insisted that a staff member give him updates — was back. And after that, it never was the same.

“He went in, they did a re-tape job, I asked, ‘How does it feel?’, and he said, “Fine,’” Williams said. “He’s a tough little sucker.”

As UNC continued to chip away, the Tar Heels (12-4, 2-1 ACC) found themselves within one point in the final seconds, and were in almost the exact same situation they were in against No. 13 Notre Dame Monday. Paige had the ball in his hands in the final seconds then too, but couldn’t win the game. UNC lost by one, 71-70.

This time, he vowed, would be different. And when the layup went in with nine seconds remaining, and then Louisville (14-2, 2-1 ACC) missed two looks to win it on the other end, it was.

72-71. This time the Tar Heels had won.

"I think it can be really frustrating to lose a bunch of close games in a row. My first couple years, we'd get down then we'd make some great comebacks, but we'd never get over that hump and that's happened again," Paige said. "Notre Dame got up, we made it interesting, we made a run, got it close. But we didn't win. To finally get one is a building block for this team." 

Paige was in obvious pain Saturday night, and was forced to fight through lingering hip, foot, and ankle injuries all on the right side of his body. He joked he’d have to lay in the tub sideways after everything he went through against Louisville.

But junior forward J.P. Tokoto had no doubt that his point guard would step up. Even though he only scored 10 points, Paige made them count.

“He’s not going to ever give in, give up. He’s our team leader. Team leaders don’t do that,” Tokoto said. “It wasn’t a surprise that the ball was in his hands for the last play, it wasn’t a surprise he took the last shot, and it wasn’t a surprise he made it.”

For Louisville Rick Pitino, the loss won’t soon be forgotten.

“It’s about as bad a loss as we’ve had,” he said. “This stings as much as any game I’ve coached.”

But for the Tar Heels, it was a day to remember. And although Paige wasn’t in the middle of the locker room when the team crowded around Williams jumping up and down, it was because of him in the first place that UNC had a reason to celebrate.

“Bottom line: big time players play in big time games,” freshman forward Theo Pinson said. “Big time (players) — whatever the saying is.”

Everyone knows.