Paige's return lifts No. 9 UNC past No. 2 Maryland 89-81

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Marcus Paige spent the first six games watching from the sideline as his North Carolina teammates had to figure out how to play without their injured floor leader.

The senior scored 20 points to help UNC beat No. 2 Maryland 89-81 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, showing no ill effects from the broken bone in his right hand nor rust from the layoff.

Paige, the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference co-player of the year, assisted for the game's first basket then buried a 3-pointer on the next possession — proof that he was ready to roll in an early season top-10 matchup.

Trimble finished with 23 points and 12 assists to lead Maryland, which shot 51 percent but committed 22 turnovers that UNC converted into 21 points.

Eventually, Paige and the Tar Heels — the preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 before a loss at Northern Iowa — stretched out the lead and wrestled away control in the final 7½ minutes.

Maryland missed eight of its last 10 shots as UNC gradually pushed a 74-72 lead back to double figures after blowing a 13-point first-half lead.

With Paige back in UNC's starting backcourt, sophomore Theo Pinson moved back to the bench and played a season-low 18 minutes, while fellow guard Nate Britt played a season-low 10.