University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes
January 24, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2004
UNC Player Quotes
Was there a little bit of an ill effect from the Florida State game?
"I think so, but what we had to do was put it behind us fast. A loss like that, everybody has it in the back of their mind. Unfortunately, it was with us at the beginning of the game, but we did a good job of putting it behind us real quick and getting it going."
How big was that win for you guys?
"It was a real big win. We fell to 1-3 in the ACC and I think that put us at the bottom. We needed a real big win in conference and luckily we got one today."
Do you feel that the team played a little harder when they took the one-point lead at 49-48?
"Honestly, I didn't even notice that they took the lead. Coach Williams always pushes us to never look at the score, just play. You can dictate the score by how you play and that is what we did. We turned it up a little bit and took the lead back and made it grow a little bit."
Were you still thinking about that Florida State game?
"Yes, it is still bothering me now. We let one go again and that is four. It is hard to lose games, especially for me personally."
Tonight, the team had a season low on turnovers, is there an emphasis on just making the simple play?
"Definitely, it is an emphasis to take care of the ball. I think that every team wants to take care of the ball, and make less turnovers. I think that by us taking care of the ball tonight helps us as a team."
Defending N.C. State's Offense.
"We have to just defend them, then when we get the ball we have to just push it down. They are going to try to slow the game down against us, but that is not what we want. We are going to have to defend them for however long we have to defend them. Then, once we get the rebound or they score we are going to have to get the ball out real fast and push it down their throat."
How important is it for you guys to control the tempo of the game early?
"It is a big factor in every game. We are just going to come out and try to push them, push them, and constantly push them."
Was this a game when you guys realized that the defense creates the offense?
"Definitely, Coach Williams has been emphasizing that from day one. We have to just believe in that and come out and do what he say, 'You have to play great defense if you want to win."
Coach Roy Williams Opening Comments:
"The first thing I looked at was to see what they shot, and they shot 50% in the first half. I was told they made their first four of the second half and they took the lead at that point. After that I thought our defense did pick up. We started getting our hands up and creating some turnovers, and that got our break going. I think we showed a little more enthusiasm with that stretch. I was very concerned in the first half because I didn't think that we were into it. I didn't think we were flying on defense. I didn't we were challenging things and it's very frustrating. Around here when you lose a game people start to panic. Particularly the other night - a loss like that sticks with you for a long time. I didn't say too much after the game because I was so disappointed. After watching the tape, I think we didn't play as well against Florida State, but they made a bunch of big time shots and sometimes you've got to give the other team credit. If you're in Chapel Hill or Lexington or Bloomington or Durham, sometimes you don't want to give the other team credit, but you've got to give that. I talked to the team about that and told them that Thursday night's game was over and there's nothing you could do about that. Coach Smith told me a long time ago one of his thoughts of the day. Life can be understood backwards but must be lived forwards. I think that early we were a little tight. Tight on the offensive end but on the defensive end we didn't have the energy level that we needed out there, didn't challenge enough things. I was frustrated at that point, but I thought that after the first five or six minutes in the second half we really got after it. We got our break going and did some really nice things."
Did you see some signs of leadership when the score got tied in the second half?
"I'd like to say yes and point out a guy, but I didn't. One thing I didn't see was anybody hanging their head. We kept playing and they took a one point lead, but our guys continued to play. Then we got to a point where we were dying because we were so tired out there, but I told our guys that basketball is an energy pill, so we had more energy than they did. I'm pushing everybody to go go go, and everybody's about to pass out. Then Jackie cuts and Raymond hits him for a three point play. Then we were able to make some substitutions. But we really got to keep pushing. If you want to really get a lead and maintain it and build on it you've got to keep pushing. That's the way I've always coached."
You used 11 players in the first half. Is that because of the quick turnaround or is that something you're going to keep looking at?
"You got to play. Nobody loves Sean May more than I do, but his man caught the ball, drove to the basket, and laid it in so I took him out. It's not a right, it's a privilege to play and you keep that privilege by playing well. I didn't like our defensive intensity in the first half. I was trying to find somebody who would sprint up the court and somebody who would sprint in the post. But again a lot of that was a hangover from Thursday night."
What did you think about the decision making?
"In the first half we didn't get that many break opportunities. I think our decisions on defending their break. The first half we just didn't guard anybody. You've just got to play smarter than that. We had one guy running one play and one guy running another and I think they were still frustrated."
Virginia Head Coach Pete Gillen's Opening Statement:
"First off, you got to keep fighting through it. You got keep fighting through it. That's my disappointment. North Carolina has some great players and a great coach, but when things get a little bad we have to keep swinging; we can't get frustrated. Raymond Felton is an unbelievable player. I haven't seen Nelson from St. Joseph's this year, but I can believe there's a better point guard in the country. Our league has all the great ones, but he's a great point guard and he makes everyone else better. Certainly, they have some tremendous players. We had a chance and when adversity strikes we have to keep swinging. We got a little flustered and hesitant, stunned, whatever, and they just turned it up and they just ran by us."
Coach Gillen discusses his team's performance.
"At the beginning of the second half we had some opportunities and we just got in foul trouble, bing, bang, boom, and they made some plays and a couple of time our guys got out of sync and they just ran the ball by us. They run the ball great and we have to get back. One time we scored a basket and Sean May beats us down the court and that's ridiculous; that can't happen and he scored. They run great and you have to give them tons of credit."
Was the fault of your defense or is North Carolina's offense that good?
" Our defense wasn't as good, no. They have unbelievably, offensively talented players and they play defense great too. When at home we play harder, but when things go bad you got to dig down and you have to keep competing. You can't give into frustration. North Carolina is the leading scoring team in the Nation but we didn't get the job done defensively."
