Marcus Paige is Returning

Marcus Paige addressed this after UNC's 79-72 loss to Wisconsin in the Sweet Sixteen but given the nature of these decisions, the Fayetteville Observer's Bret Strelow decided to get confirmation.

Marcus Paige talked matter of factly after Sweet 16 loss about coming back. For double-checking purposes, his dad said today he is returning

— Bret Strelow (@bretstrelow) April 11, 2015

Paige closed out the season as UNC's leading scorer at 14.1 ppg after struggling for much of the season with a foot injury. His final nine games, which he said were pain free, was on par with the preseason expectations. Paige averaged 16.0 ppg, 4.7 apg, 2.8 spg, hit 44% of his threes and missed one free throw in 25 attempts over roughly the final quarter of the season. In that span he went for 23 points in UNC's home loss to Duke and 24 points in the ACC Championship hitting 5-11 from three.

Paige is positioned to make a dent in the UNC record book next season where he is just nine threes away from surpassing Shammond Williams for the most made threes in a career. He is 584 points away from the 2000 point mark which would make him one of just seven Tar Heels to reach that plateau.

Of course none of that is likely on Paige's radar. His return is about winning a national title, something he and Justin Jackson are already working on.

Headed to the gym to give @JJacks_44 some buckets, hope he brings a notebook

— Marcus Paige (@marcuspaige5) April 11, 2015

Class is in session @marcuspaige5 https://t.co/c7GxdeeBqg

— Justin Jackson (@JJacks_44) April 11, 2015