University of North Carolina Athletics
Quotes
March 2, 2004 | Men's Basketball
March 2, 2004
Quotes: Coach Roy Williams
Opening Statement:
"It was a fitting end, I think, for the three seniors to be able to get back in the game and get them out individually. I like that. I'm corny as all get out; I think that things like that kids will remember forever. I think having them in the starting line-up in the beginning of the game is important."
"From that viewpoint it was good. It was an ugly start to the game; we never did get into it offensively, yet we played very well defensively in the first half. In the second half it was the very opposite. We didn't play very well on the defensive end of the floor. They shot 54% in the second half, so that's a way to tell that you don't play very well defensively."
On Rashad's performance...
"Rashad is the big story of the game...he continues to play like one of the best players in the league, and I think he's one of the best players in college basketball. He's made some big time shots for us all year."
On the win...
"We're happy to finish off the season at home with a win. We lost two games at home, one in overtime, one in triple overtime, and we feel bad about that. We'd like to protect our home court even better than that in the future."
Do you think Jackie Manuel will be able to play against Duke?
"I have no idea. It didn't look good during warm-ups, in fact he thought he tweaked it again. We're just going to have to wait and see. Needless to say, we're not as good without Jackie."
On Rashad since the Kentucky game...
"I think he's come a long way. I'm going to be his, somewhat, biggest critic and definitely his biggest fan. I love kids who step up and take challenges and he's stepped up at crunch time several times this year and been willing to take the shot. He's made most of them."
Carolina Player Quotes
You've extended the string to 50 against Clemson here, and now you're guaranteed at least a 500 record. What are those accomplishments like?
"It's great, you know. In the past they've beat them a lot. We're not part of that past, but we're part of it now. I think it's just great for us to continue to win and to increase our record in conference play."
Did you feel like it was just one of those nights for you offensively?
"No not really. I've been playing pretty good, and I was just shooting it. Like I said, I tell you guys all the time it's no mystery. I think I'm a pretty good shooter; so all of a sudden when I start shooting the ball well, it's like oh, he's kind of hot, he's making these shots. I practice them all the time."
On confidence - do you feel like anything you shoot is going in?
"Pretty much. I think anybody who can really shoot thinks that way. But I just feel anybody who's in front of me really can't stop me from doing what I need to do."
On playing at Cameron
"Last time I was there I was hurt, disappointed. I didn't start. We lost. It was a lackluster performance. I'm just ready to go in there and win the game."
On Coach Roy Williams
"He teaches fundamentals, and I think that's really the difference from last year is the fundamental part of it and just knowing how to win, and that's something Coach Williams does and has known how to do for a long time. He has the best winning percentage in college basketball right now. Coach loves this game, and that's what rubs off. He's done a great job of leading us this year."
On Rashad McCants
"I think it's unbelievable, and I think it's great, and I hope he continues for the next ten games. He's playing really well right now and we need him to play that way. He's scoring the basketball and he's doing a great job just being out there with us and fighting with us and not only is he playing on the offensive end, he's active on the defensive end, so he's having a great year, and I hope he continues to play that way for us, to finish it out."
Talk about the second-half as opposed to the first-half:
"We came out a little sluggish. I don't know what is wrong, but we just got to put it together. It is getting to close to ACC tournament time, to close to the NCAA tournament. We have got to pick this thing up, we have to play hard and put it together: just as simple as that. We came out and had great intensity in the second-half. We did a lot of good things, still made some minor mistakes, but overall I think that we played pretty good defense. We got some good shots and Rashad was hot tonight. A lot of things were working for us tonight and that was a plus for us."
What do you anticipate in the Duke game on Saturday?
"We are going to go down there, play hard, play smart, and try to get a win. It is going to be a big game, it is going to be a hard fought game, and it is going to be a difficult game. I think that if we play hard, if we play smart, there is a possibility that we can pull it out."
Talk about what this victory does for the team:
"I really don't know what it does for us. It helps our confidence, if anything. We just need to go out there, continue to play basketball and finish up strong."
Talk about the Duke game:
"We need to go out there and play hard. We are going to practice hard and carry it over to the game."
Clemson Head Coach Oliver Purnell
Opening statement:
"Very disappointed in the outcome tonight but I told my team I was not disappointed in them. I thought they really came ready to play and battled hard throughout the ballgame. I thought they played extremely tough under a little bit of an offensive onslaught by North Carolina particularly in the second half."
On Rashad McCants:
"McCants was a difference, I don't think there's any secret there. He got started on a long rebound versus a zone and a trapping defense. He just felt it. Maybe the biggest shot he had all night, and he hit some big ones in the second half, was the shot right at the half that put them up eight. Every time we made a run with the momentum, there was McCants to break that momentum with a big shot.
The difference in the game:
"McCants is an outstanding player who had an outstanding ballgame. He was the difference, no denying that. May was strong inside, he gave them an inside game. Our turnovers in the second half gave them some easy baskets and that bigger margin."
On Clemson's turnovers:
"The turnovers keep us from having offensive control in a game like this. You've got to give UNC credit because they're getting in the offensive lanes. To win games like this, you've got to do a better job of taking care of the basketball down the stretch and getting the ball in the hands of Sharrod Ford, at least against the triple team, so you can play off of that. If you turn it over at the top, you just can't defend it."
Focus before tournament:
"We'll get a day off and hope Sharrod Ford is okay, and I think he is. Get out and do a little bit of recruiting. Then try to figure out who we're going to play down the stretch. Rest them up a little bit and keep them fresh and keep ourselves sharp and get ready for the tournament."
