21 seconds to go, tied at 81. Timeout North Carolina Tar Heels. Was anyone else thinking we were getting a reversal of Austin Rivers game-winning shot at the Dean Dome back in 2012 with the Tar Heels’ Marcus Paige?

Okay, it might have been a bit of a stretch to count on Paige. After all, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year was blanketed all night by Quinn Cook and the Blue Devils defense to finish with just five points on 2-for-11 shooting. That night in Chapel Hill saw Rivers finish with 29 points and silence the Tar Heel crowd with a three-point shot over Tyler Zeller.

Still, part of me thought Paige was going to come up big. The storyline of a star struggling all night only to come up and knock down the biggest shot of the game has been played before. Instead, Paige clanked a long jumper that bounced off the iron to send the game into overtime. That pretty much summed up the night for the junior guard.

Giving all the blame to Paige is unfair, but even some of his makeable shots were poor. Paige air-balled a three-pointer from the baseline and failed to convert on a drive with the favorable matchup of Amile Jefferson guarding him from the top of the key. He was nearly a ghost in the first half after picking up two early fouls.

This is Tar Heels-Blue Devils, as bitter and dramatic as any rivalry in college basketball. With the final 92-90 score in overtime, could Paige have done a bit more?

It seems like almost every other Tar Heel brought something to the table. Even seldom-used junior Joel James gave the team six points while being guarded by Jahlil Okafor. On the flip side, senior guard Quinn Cook and freshman Tyus Jones combined for 44 points and eight three-pointers. Jones also scored the Blue Devils’ last nine points to force the game into overtime.

Paige simply did not come up in the big moment when his team needed him. To be fair, he has been battling planter fasciitis in his right foot since late December, but a preseason All-American cannot finish with just two made field goals in 34 minutes. That very much has been the season story for Paige, who is shooting 39.2 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from deep. Not exactly numbers you expect from a guy of his talent.

The win could have been a huge momentum swing for the Tar Heels, who have now lost four of there last five games. It might have been a huge confidence boost for Paige also.

Instead, the Tar Heels lose a heartbreaker and Paige continues to look for his game.

Michael Costeines is the ACC basketball Blogger for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @MCosteines, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.