University of North Carolina Athletics
Reactions to the win over N.C. State
January 28, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2004
Coach Roy Williams Postgame Quotes
Opening Statement:
I think the key to the game - and again this will be a stuck record - but I thought we were so much more intense with our defense in the second half. We forced 13 turnovers in the second half. I think they had seven turnovers in the first half and they end up with 20. We had eight steals in the second half and were able to turn that into something. We still didn't shoot it very well. I thought Raymond had a wide open three that he was gonna make and Jackie missed a dunk on a set play. Sean missed a couple inside. The defensive intensity I thought halfway through the second half was important to us. The 1-3-1 trap and half court zone were good to us. We got two or three turnovers on that.
They're a hard team to play with Hodge, Melvin, and everyone in their lineup that basically can go out on the floor and put the ball on the floor and drive it to the basket. It makes it difficult for Jawad, Sean, David, and those guys to play, because they're not used to playing 30 feet from the basket. Again I thought the defensive play was the key to the game. And we were 13 out of our first 14 free throws in the second half. Raymond's miss there at the end was only the second free throw we missed. David Noel made two big ones for us, and I thought David was important. When Jawad got the bloody nose again and I tried to play him, he missed one right inside and it looked like he didn't focus real well, and he didn't really go after the ball another time so we went with David more. A couple of times I even went small and played Jackie at the 4 man. But I feel fantastic. It's a win, and we'll take one win at a time and feel happy about it and go on to the next one."
Can you describe the play in which Rashad got the basket near the end and talk about what your options were?
"Well it was the same play we ran the other day. I thought it was too obvious so that nobody would think we'd run the same play again so we did it. That's just being honest. Rashad came off the screen this time and they were there so he penetrated to the basket. I told him I was a little upset with him because he'd missed the shot the play before. The guy had fouled him, I forget if it was Julius or Melvin who'd flicked him in the eye, and so I said, "If you can't see, then why shoot it?" But he drove the baseline and shot it and missed it that possession. I felt good about putting the basketball in his hands. I think he's working harder defensively. He's probably the most scrutinized player I've ever coached, but he's doing some nicer things for us. His shot's still not going in like he would like for it too, and like I think it can. I really was wanting him to drive people more tonight. One time he had Melvin guarding him 30 feet from the basket and he pulled up and shot a three. That's not using your quickness advantage so that's not playing intelligently. At the end though he took the ball to the basket and made a big play."
The same play that you did the other day, which game was that?
"It was the Connecticutt game I believe."
What did the 1-3-1 alignment in the half court do for you that maybe wasn't getting done defensively to that point.
"Well we weren't having very good luck in stopping them in almost anything. What it did was it slowed them down. They didn't feel very comfortable attacking it. They made one three on it because we made a mistake, but if I'm not mistaken we got two or three turnovers out of it too. Sometimes you try some things. I hate to just sit over there and not do anything. We've played that a couple times this year. The kids did a nice job with it and it more or less changed the tempo of the game a little bit and we were able to get some things going and got the lead going at that time."
Coach it sounds silly but you almost seem to play better without a big lead. The old clich? is to play not to lose, and guys seem to be playing to win.
"You guys have to sell papers, I think that's a bunch of B.S. myself. You gotta write things - old Roy's dumb, they lose a bunch of leads. I said the other day that the lead at Florida State wasn't anything. Last year we were up 20 on Arizona in the first half and lost by 17. That's a thirty seven point spread. But the last Monday night in college basketball we were playing so I didn't think a lot about the game (we lost to Arizona) at that point.
I like to have the lead. If I've got you in golf - I've got you five down. If I've got you five down I want you six down. If I've got you six down I want you seven. It's just my mentality. The one thing about is we have to be more aggressive defensively. I think in the Florida State game we were aggressive defensively, but we made stupid mistakes on the offensive end. We turned it over three times in the last 1:45 of the first half and they shoot layups. Raymond Felton got stripped twice, and that doesn't happen. I haven't talked to the guys about playing with a lead, I've talked to them about toughness. And I told them at halftime that if we're tough enough we'll come back and we'll feel comfortable in the locker room. I love to play golf and I'll play anybody anywhere. Most people can beat me, but God Almighty I love trying."
UNC Player Quotes
Talk about the defense, holding them scoreless for six minutes....
"That is just something we really emphasized on, playing defense and shutting people down. I think that it was a step forward for us."
Besides the Georgia Tech game, do you feel that this is the most complete game that you guys have put together this year?
"I would say second. After we got ourselves together with the UCONN game that was a really big win for us. Collectively, this was a very good win."
Talk to me about hitting the big shots down the stretch....
"Well, my shot wasn't falling earlier in the first half and they played a really good defense. They played a packed end zone, match-up; they did a real good job containing all of us as far as three-point shooting and driving. So, we had to find other ways to score. We played defense and got out on the break and as far as that last shot, I always want the ball in the clutch."
What type of adjustments were made at halftime, mostly strategic or more of attitude?
"It was attitude and effort. We had to pick up our effort and change our attitude about how we were going to play defense and that is what we did."
Do you feel that this was the best game that you have played defensively?
"I think so. We came out and knew that we had to lock down defensively. We were down by four at halftime and then it got to like eight, but then we knew what we had to do. Guys got in the huddle and Coach Williams fussed us out a little bit and everybody got on top of it."
How would you rate that as far as defense?
"It was probably some of the best defense that we have played. We came out and really got after it in the second half. We had our lapses, but I think to hold a team that really plays a slow-paced game like that to what they normally do, I think that we did a great job."
Can you talk about the zone defense that you guys came out with in the second half?
"It is something that Coach Williams has been working on and we just wanted to give them a different look. We were able to get a couple of steals and a couple of turnovers, and I think that they only scored once, when they had a three on the wing. We did a good job tonight."
Can you talk a little bit about Clemson?
"Clemson has a good team. Any team in the ACC can be beat; they beat us down there last year. We can't go down there thinking that we have a win. We have to play everybody in the ACC, no matter who it is."
How does this feel to you guys to win a game with your defense?
"It is a big win just to beat N.C. State. It was a four game winning streak for them, but to win a game and show that toughness on defense is great. It is showing a lot of poise and showing that we are finally starting to get the picture. Now, we have to put it all together for forty minutes."
North Carolina State head coach Herb Sendek
Opening Statement
"From our standpoint a couple of things certainly stand out; I was really proud of the effort our guys gave tonight. I thought they really played with a lot of heart and a lot of determination, especially when we fell behind in the second half by double digits. The guys really reached down and continued to battle. From that standpoint I can really feel good about our effort. Although we were able to force 18 turnovers from an offensive standpoint 20 is a lot for our team. You have to credit North Carolina pressure defense; they had a great deal to do with that.
From our standpoint, there were times when we were just too careless with the ball. We just need to understand that every possession is valuable. We have to be strong and make the sure play. I think that really contributed to our drought the second half, as well as, our not being able to put more points on the board throughout the game."
Coach Sendek speaks about the Wolf Pack's tempo throughout the game.
"I think both teams were playing hard on defense. Both teams were digging in
on the half court, changing defensives; it was a pretty good defensive effort, I
thought, both ways. You just have to do a great job in transition against them
because they push and bring it as well as anybody. Felton is so fast with the
ball. He has it on top of you before you know it."
Coach Sendek speaks to the effort of Julius Hodge. Was he trying to hard?
"He made some plays as well. We were really looking to him to be a catalyst in
the second half. He did have some turnovers but he made some big shots and
some big plays for us. He had four assist and a couple of key field goals as we
tried to mount that comeback."
How much did the team miss Scooter Sherrill?
"Obviously, he's a guy who would have probably been in there some more than
he was. I guess he tweaked his ankle. I have not had a chance to talk to anyone
yet. We have other guys that are good players and that have experience. They
have to step up and play as well. We certainly can't use that as an excuse at
all."
