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University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes
January 25, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2006
Roy Williams
UNC Head Coach
Opening Statement:
"Well we saw a big-time basketball team play in a tough environment. Our guys in the second half, I loved how hard we competed. In the first half I didn't think we played nearly as hard nor as effectively or intelligently as we needed to play. In the second half I was much more pleased with how we did. But, you've got to credit Boston College every time down. They ran their offense. It was a game where I was hoping our speed would counteract some of their strength but we weren't able to do that. We couldn't deny because they would just body us up and get where they wanted to go. Now, I'm not saying they did anything dirty or nothing. That's not what I'm saying at all. I admire the way they played down the stretch.
"It seemed like every time we'd get right there where I thought we could get over the hump, but we couldn't get a stop. In a big moment, we had a four-point game and Marcus [Ginyard] has got a wide-open three from the corner and misses. Then [Tyrese] Rice goes down and makes a three. So, we had a chance to cut it down to one and it goes to seven in about ten seconds.
"But, again, it's a big-time club and I thought Tyrese [Rice] was really big for them off the bench. They made big shots and [Craig] Smith and [Jared] Dudley just do the right things and help their team win. I told Al congratulations. He's got big-time club that made big-time plays when they had to make them. Again, I'm very pleased with how our kids played and competed in the second half. But, you don't stop somebody as good as Boston College with a 12-point lead. We made some mistakes. But, they competed their tails off in the second half."
On Boston College's edge:
"They're a veteran club. Somebody told me they've got something like 400 starts coming back on that team. Not only are they experienced, but they're talented, they're gifted. They do what they did in practice every day. We were not able to take them out of anything. We've got to get stronger. There's no question we've got to get a little more physical and be able to battle some so you can get the spots that you want. So, when you step inside to box out and the guy breaths on you, you don't go flying out of there and let him get the rebound. We've got to get bigger and stronger in the weight room. If we'd competed better in the first half and done the things that gives this team a chance on most nights, we'd have had a better chance to win this game."
On how to eliminate the bad spurts:
"If I knew how to eliminate it, we'd have already eliminated that sucker. Part of it, you always have to give credit to the other team. The other team had something to do with it. It's not just North Carolina playing out there. Boston College was picked second in the league in the preseason. I really like their club. I watched them a couple times last year when they started out 20-0. You've got to give them some credit. We could have helped ourselves, there's no question. We didn't do some things that we need to do. We didn't play as intelligently as we wanted to. But, again I've got to give the other team some credit."
Al Skinner
oston College Head Coach
On the play of Craig Smith:
"If you've watched us play, you know coming down the stretch he's going
to get some touches. We're going to play off of him because he draws a
lot of attention. He makes good decisions. He is a senior so we're
going to try to get the ball in his hands as much as we possibly can.
I thought there were times that we moved the ball tremendously well.
When you focus on him too much then it makes it a little easier for
everyone else."
On reaching 3-3 in the ACC:
"We're just at .500 so there?s a lot more basketball to play. Hopefully
we'll continue to play at the level we need to. There's no question we
dug ourselves a hole and it's not like we're really out of the hole,
but at least we're in the mix a little bit. We've gone on the road and
won at a couple of very difficult places which I think is quite an
accomplishment and a recognition of the discipline and the focus that
this team is capable of."
On his team having 23 assists and only nine turnovers against the
Carolina defense:
"That's part of our focus and understanding what we want to do. One of
the things that was going to be extremely important was we wanted to
make sure we executed our offense and didn't allow them to take us out
of our offense. By doing that we knew what our looks were going to be.
"We talk about shot selection and handling the basketball and that's real important for us. Guys took their time. They had to be real strong with the basketball and we had a pretty good idea where our looks were going to be. Everyone has a good understanding of what our offense is and what we're trying to accomplish, but the most important thing is that we really have to take our time and execute it. I thought at times we did it extremely well and other times we didn't, but for the most part I thought we did it extremely well."
