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UNC-Rutgers Post Game Quotes
November 20, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2002
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UNC Head Coach Matt Doherty
"[Rutgers] is one of the scrappiest teams we've played against. They played great defense, they're tough and they're a veteran team.
"I am just really so proud of my young team and the poise they showed when they could have easily folded. They're fighters and hung in there and made plays - in spite of ourselves at times."
"It is nice to gut out a win. I told them at one point that Carolina is known for comebacks. I said this might not rate as the best comeback in Carolina history, but it is the best comeback for this team. I am proud of them and way they played and came back. It is nice to win and play poorly."
On Rashad McCants down the stretch:
"I got on him; I took him out in the first half. He took a terrible shot; he didn't box out. When I took him out he didn't sulk, he didn't pout - he kept his head in the game. I knew we needed him to have a chance to win this game, and he went in there and made some big plays."
On going to New York for the rest of the NIT:
"Now that we have the opportunity to do that it's great. I know some people were making a big deal out of it that we have to get to New York. It doesn't mean that if we don't get to New York that our season's over."
"We had a tough bracket. We played a Big Ten school and then we played Rutgers. When the bracket came out I said, 'Jeez, no one is doing us any favors.' "
"The biggest focus for us right now is Old Dominion. That is going to be a game. At that point we'll know who our next opponent will be, and it is going to require our guys to be mature beyond their years and not look past Old Dominion - and I don't think we will. We are opening up their building and two of their best players are from North Carolina so I know they are going to be fired up."
On winning an ugly game:
"I am just so proud that we could gut out a tough win. I think that shows the character of this team. It was not a pretty game; I knew it wasn't going to be a pretty game."
"It was good that we were tested like that and showed that we could beat an opponent and play in the 60s and low 70s."
UNC Player Quotes:
On North Carolina's comeback in the second half
"We just stayed focused. We knew what we had to do to win, which was hit the glass and play tough man-to-man defense. I just did what I had to do, and that was rebounding."
On playing in New York
"Well, we can't look at that right now. We have to stay focused because we have Old Dominion on Sunday. So, New York is a ways from now."
On the freshmen getting a lot of attention
"Well, it's good. I don't think a lot of them need expectations on their shoulders. I think they need to just go out and play and build their own reputations - start their own streaks."
On playing in the Smith Center
"The Smith Center is great. I wouldn't rather be any place in the country. The fans out here are loyal and they stayed with us until the end. We were down 10 and they could have easily gotten up and left, but they knew with young guys we were going to come back and we did a good job tonight.
"People around here love North Carolina basketball and they stuck with us until the end and I'm glad we won tonight."
On the offense in the second half
"We didn't realize how good defensively Rutgers was. They get out, deny and pressure and when teams do that it is hard to get into your offense. We struggled in the beginning, but in the second half we calmed down."
On playing in Madison Square Garden
"Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of basketball. We can't wait to get there, but we have to play at Old Dominion first and we'll worry about Madison Square Garden after we go to Old Dominion on Sunday."
"I feel really good. Those guys went out there and gave a really great effort and we did the same. It just feels good to win."
On coming back in the second half
"We just wanted to slow down, get a good shot and don't try to rush it trying to come back in one shot. We just wanted to stay confident."
On the first half pace of the game
"The pace of the game was up and down and we had to slow down and get into our offense."
On Coach Doherty's comments at the end of the game
"He just told us that we had to dig deep inside and just win this game."
On the last basket of the game
"I mean, I just drove to the basket and I saw Jawad's man step towards me so I just dished it off to him and he knocked down the shot."
