University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina Player Quotes - March 29, 2005
March 29, 2005 | Men's Basketball
March 29, 2005
North Carolina Junior Sean May
On Michigan State's Paul Davis:
"Paul's about as good as they get. I played against him in McDonald's games, I've been watching him every year, ever since I've been here. You know, he can really shoot the basketball from the perimeter, he's got some great post moves, he's really long and an underrated defender, I think. He possesses a big body. For me, I think he'll try to do some of the same things he did with Shelden (Williams), maybe try to foul me out and attack me inside. But I always tell coach that a good post player has to play both ends, they have to defend and play on the offensive end. So hopefully we'll try and do some of the same things that we did against Wisconsin and attack them inside.
On growing up in Big Ten country and now playing against Big Ten teams for the national championship:
"It's funny, especially for me, growing up watching Big Ten basketball, and especially this year with how much flack the Big Ten caught about how the only good team in the Big Ten was Illinois, Michigan State and from there it was pretty much even and kind of a drop off. But they've showed throughout this year that the Big Ten is tough. They beat up on each other throughout the season. But for us, we'll play Michigan State and whoever wins between Louisville and Illinois, hopefully we'll play well, we'll move on and we'll play whoever we play after that.
On Big Ten style:
"They run more of a slow pace, but I think Michigan State runs more than most Big Ten teams do, them and Illinois. I think they have really good guards with Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown who can get out on the wing. I think the only thing that they don't have is that true point guard, but the freshman kid is playing well and stepping up right now. Right now they're clicking at the right time, they're peaking at right time. I like to think we're playing pretty good basketball right now, we've got some things we need to work on, but we're playing good basketball right now.
On Coach Williams using the Detroit Pistons as a good example of a team:
"He showed us clips of that team and he asked us before we went in there, who is the best player on that team? And everyone had their difference in opinions...and he just said, you can't tell who the best player is, because they don't care. Everyone just plays together. That's what it's about, that's the epitome of a team. They are a team and they don't have one superstar, and no one shines. It's all about let's get a win, and the team is the one who shines. I think this team has totally turned around from what we were last year, the way we play and the way we did things. I think you can just see in our play on any given night you don't know who will be the leading scorer. It could be Marvin off the bench or it could be Raymond or Jawad. It doesn't matter to us, we just want to win.
On Michigan State's rebounding:
"I think watching them play against Duke, in their last game, I was really impressed with the way they attack the glass. When we were flying back and I was sitting there talking to Marvin, I was like `These guys attack the glass better than anybody in the country.' Their guards attack the glass. Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager go hard to the boards. And that is a big part of the game, and I think the other big part is that we have to do a better job defensively than we did all weekend. Coach told us right after the game against Wisconsin that if we play defense the way we did tonight and the way we've done the past four games, we're going to have an early exit. It'll be one and done and we'll be coming home pretty unhappy. I think that's the biggest thing for us to get better defensively. That includes crashing the boards, and boxing out and keeping them off the boards. "
North Carolina senior Jawad Williams
On the emotions of the Final Four:
"This is going to be a lot of fun but we're going to have to go out there and take care of business at the same time."
On Michigan State:
"They're a pretty exciting team. I'm kind of familiar with Michigan State because I'm from Ohio and they're not too far away. But, we're not worried about Michigan State, we're worried about ourselves. Whatever happens, happens."
On what he said to coach Williams after the Villanova game:
"I said a lot of things. But it was probably somewhere along the lines of thank you. Honestly I can't even remember what I said. I had a different message for everybody. I was just proud to be able to play another game."
On what he heard about Roy when he came in two years ago:
"We knew he was a great coach and a great person and all those things are true. We were nervous when he first got he because you never know what it's going to be like dealing with a new coach, like the perceptions he has of you and things like that. I didn't talk to guys who had him before because personally, I can't go off another man's experience, I have to experience it myself."
On the change in fans' reactions from his freshman year to now:
"We were 8-20. Nobody really cared about us back then. Today, we can't even walk down Franklin Street to get something to eat. I remember when we were 8-20. The only people that believed in us was ourselves. But, we knew we could get better. We were at the bottom and there was nowhere else to go but up."
On the last 36 hours and what it's been like for him to walk down Franklin Street:
"Me and Melvin went to go eat breakfast together before class and it took us an hour just to get off Franklin Street and get ready for class. It's a great feeling. People are excited and so are we. Everybody wants us to win a championship for them. But, we need to win it for ourselves first."
On the best pass or play that Raymond Felton has ever made:
"Man, there's been so many. I can't pick just one. Probably one to me, most likely. I usually finish with a dunk or a lob, so probably a pass to me."
On the teams concern with the team accomplishments versus individual accomplishments:
"We've matured a lot. It used to be about who can get what numbers and if you win, alright that's cool too. Now we don't care about the numbers we just go out there and play basketball."
On his relationship with coach Wojcik:
"I haven't talked to him since he left. I talked to his wife a couple times, like when Burgess died. But no bad feelings toward coach Wojcik."
On what it's like on campus:
"It's very exciting. People are excited for us. It's tough to go anywhere to eat right now because everybody is going to sit there and talk to you. I'm glad everybody's excited because we're excited too."
North Carolina senior Melvin Scott
On his new celebrity status:
"Man, it's crazy. Every ten steps you got to sign another autograph. I appreciate it. It just makes you feel like you're somebody around here. The fans, they love us man. The atmosphere is just great. We feel like rockstars or something."
On the comparison between he freshmen year and now:
"It's night and day. It's been a long time coming because of what we went through our freshman and sophomore years. It makes it special now that we've been through the rough times and can enjoy the fruits of our hard labor."
North Carolina junior Rashad McCants
on being back in Chapel Hill before the Final Four
"It's always great to see everybody get excited about what we've accomplished, but we've still got a few more games to reach our goal."
On expectations of reaching Final Four
"Everybody does [has high expectations]. I think my situation is a whole lot different from anybody else's. Just to see that we can make it to our goals is very pleasing. It's relaxing to see that everything we set forth, we can accomplish."
On having to control things when Raymond was not in the games at Syracuse
"I've always felt like the guy that has to control things, even when Raymond is in the game. For the past three years, we've struggled enough that anybody should be able to step up as a leader during a crucial time to focused and get things accomplished that we need to get done."
On his relationship with Coach Wojcik
"Coach Wojcik was my favorite when he was here. He was a guy that just wanted to make you compete to the best of your ability. He wanted to bring the best player out of you. He believed in my talent, ability and passion for the game."
On being happy for Coach Wojcik getting a coaching position
"I was very happy for him. I feel like he's such a great coach and great motivator that he could go on to be successful."
On being able to believe that this moment is here after the struggling for the past 3 years
"I actually can. I want to say that it's about time. It's been a long, rough road. The guys have been waiting for this time and we've just got to make the best of it."
On what this season's losses have taught the team
"Everybody is going to lose games and we know that. It taught us a lot about playing on the road, being composed before the game, having patience, taking good shots, bad shots, and clutch shots - all kinds of situations."
North Carolina freshman Marvin Williams
On pushing the ball up the court
"It's definitely fun - it just makes the game that more exciting. It's always fun to win when you've got a transition like that. I like to play that type of game and Raymond's style is perfect for me."
On the difference when Raymond is out of the game
"It's a big difference. He's our quarterback. He leads us and everybody follows him. He's a big-time point guard. It's a big difference when he's not on the floor because he can do so many things: defend, pass, and score. It's a big missing piece when he's not on the court."
On how he feels about Raymond as a person
"Raymond is one of the best people I've ever met. He's cool and has always been there for us. He's such a big-time person."
On Michigan State being such a physical team
"We have to be tough. I don't think our team should have a problem with a physical game because we're pretty physical ourselves. It will be a good game."
On playing beside Sean May the past few games
"It's exciting for me. I get caught watching him sometimes. He's such a big-time player. I'm excited and happy for him."
On what it's been like off the court, before the Final Four
"Campus has been crazy. There are a lot of crazy fans out there - we've got the best fans in the world."
North Carolina junior David Noel
On enjoying the win over Villanova:
"We had an extra day off, so we definitely enjoyed this one a little bit longer. But today we got practice, so as soon as practice starts we'll stop enjoying it."
On what day was like after win over Villanova and the buzz around campus:
"We went to class. We stayed on the yard for a while. Everybody was coming up and congratulating us. The atmosphere was great around campus, like I said, everyone was congratulating us and sending us text messages. I got a thousand phone calls. It feels great to still be playing."
On what it means to team to be going to the Final Four after last few years:
"It means a lot. As far as we've come, it means a heck of a lot. We came in wanting to bring Carolina back to its original status, and I feel like we've accomplished that. Hopefully, we can continue to have great history while we are here."
On what team needs to do to not have a letdown like in the ACC Tournament:
`We have a little bit more time to prepare this time. We just have to go out and practice and rebuild that intensity that we've had throughout the whole tournament. Everybody thinks that we had a let down in the last two games because we won by smaller margins, but at the same time we're going to go back to practice and refocus our intensity and make that commitment for these last two games and hopefully we can take it all the way."
On his role in the next two games:
"Just be in the right place at the right times, especially defensively. Get to the offensive boards. All the little things that my team needs me to do."
On how religion has impacted team this season:
"At this point in time, you have so many things thrown at you as a young male in the situation that we are in, that sometime you don't know how to handle it. Sometimes you're faced with your back against the wall and you can't get out, so you turn to God and ask him to come into your life and just bless you. [You ask him] just to help you through all the tough times and so you build a closer relationship with God and it's flowed throughout this team. I think that's part of the reason this team has gone as far as we have."
North Carolina junior Raymond Felton
On his health:
"I feel great. I got another chance to practice in the Smith Center. It feels good knowing that there are only four teams left in the country, and you're one of them."
On Coach Williams' effect on the team's philosophy:
"Coach Williams is a guy who wants to win and he has stored that in us. The fire and desire that he has toward the game, he has definitely put inside of us. He wants to win and it shows, especially on the sidelines."
On looking back at his career:
"It feels good, it's like a dream come true. Throughout high school, I accomplished all the things that I wanted to accomplish in high school, and now it seems like all the things that I wanted to accomplish in college is coming true."
On how much credit Coach Doherty deserves for team's success:
"He definitely has done some great things for us. He's the guy who got us here. He recruited us. He got me, Sean, Rashad, David Noel, Damion Grant, Byron Sanders. Those six guys came in with me. He got Jawad and all those guys in, so he did a great job at recruiting the guys that are here right now. He did a great job recruiting.
On perceptions of Michigan State:
"Just looking at highlight, they are a scrappy team, a team that plays extremely hard, they are well-coached. They play with desire. They are a team that seems like to play with a chip on their shoulder, just like we would. Just trying to improve things and make it as far as they can. They're doing a great job."
North Carolina senior Jackie Manuel
On if making it to the Final Four has sunken in yet
"I'm still in awe. I think once I get there, get to St. Louis, it will probably sink in. Now what is sinking in is that my college career is almost over. And it's tough; it really is. I have so many memorable moments, and I'm really going to miss this place, my teammates and the coaching staff."
On how much fun this season has been
"It's been great. It's been lots of fun, especially with Melvin [Scott], Jawad [Williams], David [Noel], and the rest of those guys. When times are tough, they really bring your spirits up. And they really lift my spirits up."
On how long the journey has been for the seniors to get to the Final Four
"It's been very long; it's been a journey. To be where we are now, it's just a blessing. It really is.
On if he ever thought he would be playing in the Final Four
"Never. It was something I wanted to accomplish before I left, but to be where we are now--never--especially during the 8-20 season."
On his feelings now
"It feels really good. But we know we still have business to take care of. We can't just be satisfied with just being in [the Final Four]."
On keeping in touch with Coach Doug Wojcik (former UNC and current Michigan State assistant coach)
"I have [kept in touch]. When I found out he got the assistant coaching job, I didn't get a chance to talk to him then, but one of the managers was talking to him so I told him that I was proud of him and happy for him. I wish him the best though; I gave him that message. It's going to be great [to see him]. I'm going to go up and give him a big hug. I miss him; I miss all those guys."
On what the last 36 hours have been like
"It's been crazy. I was on campus today, and so making it to the Final Four has been crazy enough, but also being my birthday today, it's been really crazy. I've gotten text messages, calls, taking pictures. It's been really crazy."
On how to make sure there is not another let down after cutting down the nets like there was after the Duke game
"The difference between now and playing in the ACC tournament, I think everyone had in the back of their minds `Well, we want to go out and play hard, but if we happen to lose, we still have the NCAA tournament.' But now that's not the case. If you lose, that's it. Especially for Melvin [Scott], Jawad [Williams], and I, it's the last time. So we can't say we have next time. So we have to go out and give it everything we have."
On how to approach playing with Michigan State's physical style of play
"We just have to match that, and we can't let them take us out of our game. We can't let them be physical with us and just stop playing. We have to match that, but also remember our game plan."
On how special it would be to give Coach Roy Williams a championship
"It's very special. For both of us, especially to actually win a National Championship. For [the seniors] to end out on top and for Coach to get to the point in his career to win a National Championship; it would be great. And that's our goal: to go out as champions."
On freshman year
"I think just going through freshman year makes this so much more great. You appreciate everything you get. [The seniors] don't really talk about freshman year that much. We pick times where we enjoyed ourselves or we had laughs from freshman year, but we really don't talk about the 8-20 season and how we were losing. [When walking around campus], people really didn't say anything to us. I'm pretty sure they wanted to, but they really didn't say much. I really didn't care if somebody had something to say. I was going to be me regardless."
On the past 3 and ½ weeks
"It's been a ride; it's been a rush. It's been an experience. [The coaches] said it would be crazy, and it is. Everywhere you go, people are wishing you the best and signing autographs. It's been wild."
On his feelings about adding to the banners in the Smith Center
"That's the biggest accomplishment right there. To be able to add to that, and that's what I always wanted. To be able to see our banner up there. When you really think about it, it really is a big accomplishment."
On what the team took from seeing former Tar Heel Rasheed Wallace and the Detroit Pistons win the NBA Championship
"Just that bond they had, the team. That was all they put forth was the team. And that is why they were so successful."
On what worries him most about Michigan State "They have a great team. And I think that match-up is going to be even. And I think it's going to be a close game, and it's going to be who wants it more. And that's the thing because we can't give up and we can't let them want it more than us."
