Myriads Of Maye As Defenses Clamp Down

CHAPEL HILL - Some eleven months ago, North Carolina forward Luke Maye had a performance to remember in a payback victory over N.C. State.

Maye lit up PNC Arena last February, finishing with a career-high 33 points and 17 rebounds in a 96-89 victory over the Wolfpack that came just 14 days after N.C. State upset the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.

Almost a year later, UNC’s preparing to take on N.C. State once again in Raleigh on Tuesday. For Maye, the Huntersville, NC, native’s performance that night was nothing more than him bouncing back from a subpar first 20 minutes.

“I remember it was a pretty tough first half, I don't think I played very well in the first half, but I got it going in the second half,” Maye said, during UNC’s press conference in advance of Tuesday’s game. “I was able to get some good looks and just able to knock them down and get rolling a little bit.

“Whenever you feel that way you just feel like the basket’s huge and you just feel like everything you shoot can go in.”

While he’s been relatively consistent, Maye hasn’t had a spectacular game like that in quite a while. The senior’s highest point total since that 33-point performance some 332 days ago came in this season’s opening win at Wofford, when he finished with 24 points.

For head coach Roy Williams, Maye’s lack of huge, 30-plus point performances since comes down to opposing teams focusing on him even more.

“Last year, they (other teams) said, ‘Yea, okay, Luke Maye, so,’” Williams said Monday. “He averaged whatever he averaged (5.5 points per game) his sophomore year, he hadn’t proven himself, but now he’s proven himself.

“I’ve always said the greatest thing you have is when guys play at the top of their game when they’re the emphasis of the other teams defense. And, that’s what he’s become.”

For Maye, who's tied for second on the team averaging 14.4 points but leading with 9,9 rebounds per game, he doesn’t see much of a difference in how teams are guarding him on the court this season.

“I think, last year, they (opposing teams) defended me the same,” he said. “This year I haven’t shot it as well as I have in the past. But, I think going forward, I’m just going to continue to play the way I know how to play and I think my teammates will get me in the right spots to make plays.”

Theo Pinson, a senior on last year’s UNC team, mentioned after the win in Raleigh last year, Maye was heckled by opposing fans and N.C. State players heavily during the game. Going into Tuesday’s matchup, Maye can likely expect more of the same.

Regardless, the modest All-America isn’t worried. Instead, he lets his game speak for itself.

“I feel like a lot of people think that because of where I came from and how I was recruited that I still might not deserve some of the stuff I’ve been given,” Maye said. “I’m just going to go out there and play as well as I can and show them that all the work I’ve put in has really helped me become the player I am right now.”

Maye hasn’t gone off yet, but maybe a return to Raleigh could spark his next eruption.