University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes
February 19, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2005
Opening remarks:
"I think that the biggest thing about the basketball game is that in the first half, we would have done a better job controlling the dribble penetration and if we would have gotten back and picked up a bit better in defensive transition, it would have been our best defensive half of the year. I was really pleased with what we did on the defensive end of the floor. I was very unhappy with what we did on the break, fumbling the balls out of bounds, throwing it away. We had a significant lead when we were up 20 at the half but we hadn't taken very good advantage of the opportunities we had on the break at all. I was disappointed with the offense but very pleased with what we have done on the defensive end, and that's the reason we had that kind of lead. In the second half, it was a bit of the same thing where we still continued to work extremely hard, forcing 27 turnovers but we still had too many turnovers ourselves. It's a strange thing in the last five games, where our turnovers have been nine, nine, twenty-three, eleven, and now nineteen. We just have to do a better job getting shots, taking advantage when we have an advantage on the break, when we have a three-on-two, four-on-two, we've got to get the kind of shot that we want. Overall, I was really pleased with the defensive end of the court and I think that, the rebounding and the turnover margin is the difference in the game. Look at Clemson's club: Oliver is starting three freshmen, playing another one coming off the bench quickly, so it's a bit difficult for him. He's doing a great job trying to get their program back going."
On Rashad feeling well:
"During the first half, he didn't feel very good. He told me before the game that he didn't feel very well. I told him I would try to give him more frequent rest and we tried to do that. We came back at halftime, he felt worse, so I started Melvin. He (Rashad) was going to try coming in one time but he didn't feel that great. So I told him we wouldn't worry with it right now. But I think his problem is more of an intestinal problem, heartburn as opposed to the flu. I'm really ecstatic with Marvin being able to get 16 minutes and playing the way that he played. When he had that funky move on the end where he got a foul, it did scare me for a second. I asked him if it hurt his foot or if he was just uncoordinated. He answered uncoordinated, so that made me feel better. At that point, I knew there was no sense in trying to get more minutes out of him today. But he did feel much better today than Wednesday."
On any other players suffering from ailments:
"I think everybody else is doing pretty well. Always at this time of year, everybody has little aches and pains. But for the most part, we're over the majority of stuff. I can attest to the fact that sometimes it comes back so you've got to continue doing the best we can, taking care of our bodies and getting rest."
On reasons for winning streak against Clemson:
"I have no way of explaining it, you can call it a quirk if you want to. I didn't talk about it with the team except we think it's silly."
On Jawad's leadership role:
"It's been extremely important. I think the biggest thing for us is that since day one, I said in the entire preseason that he was the most consistent player that we had. He's continued to play this way. He had a bout where his knee was bothering him for three or four games straight. But today, I thought he was into it. He had some good passes that got to him and he does a good job of appreciating that from his teammates. He's doing some nice things but I would like to get on his tail about the rebounding, because we do need more than one rebound out of him. But I like four guys in double figures and two more guys with nine. But Jawad has been a big-time leader for us with his play and his emotions."
CLEMSON COACH OLIVER PURNELL
Opening Statement:
"I thought we ran into a buzz-saw today. We played an excellent team on their home court, playing well, which is always a tough ticket. I did not think that we played well but I think Carolina had a lot to do with it. I thought that early on we missed some easy shots in this environment and when we missed those easy shots we showed our frustration by getting away from our game plan, which was transition defense, transition defense, and more transition defense. Obviously Carolina got out and ran and nobody does it better than they do, led by Felton. Their wings can get out and they can make plays out there. They also get their rim-runner going, May or their big guys out of the block, on their running game. That's really what happened. By the time we gathered ourselves and got back to doing the things we talked about we're down 20 versus an excellent team on their home court.
"There was more of the same in the second half. We just tried to keep playing hard. We tried to keep getting back to our game plan from time to time as we called timeouts to redo that. But, Carolina kept the pressure on us. Again, I think we ran into a buzz-saw, an excellent team, playing well on its home court."
On his technical foul:
"I sort of wanted to send a message that we didn't want to be called for touch fouls when they were being very aggressive on the other end. I certainly wanted that message to be heard and if they wanted to T me up, they T me up."
On the Clemson's turnovers:
"I thought we were frustrated and a little nervous and all of those things in the first half. They kind of took us out of our game. They took us out of our comfort zone. Our turnovers were throwing the ball to the guy next to us and he sticks his hands out like he's not there. I thought we came unraveled and came back and got it back together. But, by the time that you do that against a team like this on it's home court it's too late."
On the nervousness of his team:
"I think we come in here with high hopes. We miss some easy shots early. Now, they're trapping us and we don't go to the right spots. Then, the guy with the ball gets nervous and throws the ball up in the air. I think it was a combination of poise, frustration, missing some easy shots, and that kind of thing. Having said that, I'm going a little mind reading here."
UNC PLAYERS
On two 14-0 runs in the first half:
"We did a good job executing, but we were still kind of sloppy and committed a lot of turnovers. It was good for us to jump out to a 20 point lead at halftime."
On team's first half inside dominance:
"That's just Sean May, Jawad Williams and Marvin Williams for you. They all are such talented players under the basket. All we really have to do is get them the ball."
On rest of the season:
"We feel like we still need to work on a lot of things in order to become the team we want to be. We know it comes down to execution, focus and concentration, but we have to be ready to step it up when the big time comes."
On his toe injury:
"It hurts a little bit, but I'll be ok. It hurts the most jumping, landing and when I come out of the game, but when I am out there I don't really think about it. I just try to do what I can to help the team win."
On quick start in first half:
"We moved the ball really well and got out and ran. Jawad, Sean and I really ran a lot better today and our teammates found us. Raymond did a great job of getting us some good looks."
On Jawad's leadership:
"I don't even know where to start. I have learned so many things from Jawad. He is just a classy person and a big-time basketball player. I'd rather be around him off the court than on the court. Congratulations to him for hitting that milestone (1,500 career points) and today is his birthday too."
On if the streak against Clemson means anything to the team:
"It really doesn't matter to us. We just wanted to come out and play, and we just try to win every game."
On if there was a conscious effort to take less 3 pointers and push the ball more inside:
"No, not really. We just wanted to pound them and get good shots. And most of our shots were inside so that's what we took."
On if it was important to come out strong after the first half last year:
"It was very key because we didn't want them to stick around at all and think that they could play with us. No slight to them, but we just wanted to go out, jump on them, hit them, and just keep hitting them, and make the game a big game."
