UNC Basketball: Have Tar Heels Found the Blueprint to Beat Top Teams?

Maybe all it took was a leaning-over-the-ledge moment to get North Carolina to kick things into gear and actually pull out a close one. And in the face of potential doom, the Tar Heels might have discovered a recipe for winning the big games that will continue throughout the ACC schedule.

Facing a double-digit deficit at home to fifth-ranked Louisville, with best player and team leader Marcus Paige limping into the locker room, UNC didn't fold. Instead, it began a methodical rally over the final 10 minutes, turning to multiple players to spark the comeback.

Then the Tar Heels put the ball back in the hands of Paige on the last possession, giving the underachieving junior the chance to have his Willis Reed moment. Paige came through, with a running layup with 8.5 seconds left for the game-winner in Saturday's 72-71 victory.

Player	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals
Totals	24	10	5	3
Joel Berry II	3	1	0	0
Nate Britt	2	0	0	1
Justin Jackson	0	1	0	0
Brice Johnson	6	3	1	0
Kennedy Meeks	2	0	0	2
Marcus Paige	5	0	2	0
J.P. Tokoto	6	5	2	0

Rob Dauster of NBC Sports wrote that Paige's shot and late effort "could ignite Paige's season," but that's not telling the whole story. As great as he was down the stretch, scoring five of his 10 points—including a three-pointer with 6:19 left, less than a minute after returning from rolling his right ankle and getting it taped—it was the way that UNC responded despite not having an at-full-strength Paige that figures to resonate longer.

The Heels were down 58-48 when Paige left the game with 10:30 left, and almost right after that, Louisville upped its lead to 13 points. But then they started chipping away, with a balanced attack on both ends that wasn't focused on just one guy doing it all. Yes, we saw the return of "second-half Marcus" on that final possession and at other times in the waning minutes, but it was by no means a matter of Paige taking over and UNC's other four players standing around watching in awe.

Instead, they were just as involved, if not more so.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Brice Johnson and J.P. Tokoto, in particularly, were masterful down the stretch, combining for 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists. All five of Tokoto's rebounds were in the last 10:30, while Johnson's late work enabled him to register his second double-double of the season at 11 points and 11 rebounds.

All told, six players scored in those last 10:30, a departure from most close games this season and a complete reversal from how Monday's 71-70 home loss to Notre Dame went down. In that contest, the Tar Heels made only two field goals in the final nine minutes and instead had six different players miss shots.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Against Louisville, UNC had six players finish with eight or more points, by far its most balanced scoring effort of the season. Inconsistency has been a problem throughout the 2014-15 season, with all five starters having a game with 18 or more points and seven or fewer, but in this game, the contributions came from everyone. That's what enabled UNC to fight back despite not knowing when (or if) Paige would return.

The 6'1" junior has had a very disappointing season to this point, far from the production one would expect from a preseason All-American. He's averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting 36.6 percent from the field, way down from his 17.5 points and 44 percent shooting in 2013-14, a dip in production that's partly due to the Heels having more weapons but also because of nagging injuries.

UNC coach Roy Williams indicated after the game that Paige has been battling plantar fasciitis for several games, and it was bothering him Saturday, even before the ankle injury.

"It was a bad combination for me," Paige told Andrew Carter of the Raleigh News & Observer.

As much as it hurt Paige, it probably helped the rest of Carolina's team. Knowing it couldn't just rely on Paige in clutch situations, others had to step up. And rather than it be just one other person, the Tar Heels got multiple volunteers to put on the captain's hat, something that should help as the season goes on and other close games come about. 

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.