University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC vs. UNCA Post-Game Quotes
December 16, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2006
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UNC Head Coach Roy Williams
Opening Statement:
"If you take out the last eight minutes of the first half I was very pleased with how we tried defensively. The last eight minutes of the first half we didn't do a good job of getting back and get picked up. They got some run outs and made some good plays. Other than that stretch, I thought we were much better defensively, much more attentive, and got out in the lanes and did the things that we wanted to do defensively. We had two practices this week, both of them about two hours. We worked almost exclusively on defense so this week I guess we're going to have four-hour practices because we're going to work two hours on defense and two hours on offense because we stunk it up on the offensive end. I think we missed the last six shots of the game, or the last seven shots of the game, but it wasn't just those guys. We're not sharp offensively and I halfway expected that because of the fact that we haven't worked on it. It just means we have to go to practice and do a better job. Again, the second half we didn't have a stretch where we failed to get back on the defensive end so it was difficult for them to score. We were bigger and we were active defensively in the second half to hold them to 23 percent. We've got some work to do offensively, stop everybody trying to go on their own. We've got to continue doing it within a team concept. Evidently there's something else in the Constitution that I didn't realize and that is if you get an offensive rebound it's your right to shoot it regardless if you've got 88 people in front of you. I'm going to go back in my history book and check the Constitution tonight to see if it's really in there and I just didn't know about it. If I couldn't laugh I'd be throwing things and tearing things."
On UNC-Asheville's two shot clock violations:
"I think that we can be
good defensively, I really do. I think we're going to get there. I'm
going to have no hair, not gray hair, or they're going to look like
distance runners. That was very encouraging to me. I think that was
very encouraging to the guys. When you get someone to have two shot
clock violations, that's the kind of defense you want to play. Their
goal was to try to run some clock. I'm not saying they were trying to
spread and hold it, but I didn't think they wanted to shoot quickly and
for us to play defense the whole 35 seconds. Again, you take out that
last eight minutes where we didn't get back and pick up we were pretty
active defensively."
On the relatively balanced scoring:
"For 19 years as a head coach
that's always been important to me. The rest of my time I think it's
just extremely difficult to play it when it's not just one guy that you
have to guard. We have to do a better job offensively of not trying to
go on your own. We're gifted. We don't have bad kids, they're not
selfish, they just say well we have to score, I can score. The bottom
line has to be we can score."
On Bobby Frasor's return:
I would probably say, unless something weird
happens, he will not play Tuesday night. We'll take a look again at it
at the end of the week. He's getting better. It's given Wes [Miller]
some more time at the point guard, I'm probably throwing too much on
that youngster. He can really shoot the basketball. I'm adding that
pressure of running the club to him. If Wes Miller's my only worry I'm
in good shape."
UNC Asheville Head Coach Eddie Biedenbach
Opening Statement:
"We're disappointed that we didn't play better and that we didn't rebound better. They are a very good basketball team. But we felt we could have executed better and got better shots and made a better game of it. I like our guys' toughness. But, we've got to play the game of basketball better.
"I think basketball all over the country is not being played as well as it should be played - in the pros and in college.
"North Carolina is great at execution. Their only problem is their lack of experience, having freshmen in there. But, those freshman are very good players and they have so much room to improve. To be such a good team with young players there's no telling how good they can be. I really like North Carolina and Ohio State with the guy [Greg Oden] joining them and UCLA is good defensively. It's going to be an interesting year and I'll be interested to see how some of the old school coaches come out and make their teams better.
"Overall, I'm pleased with our effort. We just needed to be a better team before we came here today. We battled really well tonight, and I'm proud of our guys for that. But, we came in here not just to make a good showing. We came in here to win a basketball game and we obviously weren't good enough yet."
On Carolina's defense:
"Carolina has a swarming defense and they take a lot of chances on
steals. It'll be an effective defense against a lot of teams. I'm
not criticizing Carolina - believe me. But, when you turn guys loose
like they do you can get guys in foul trouble in big games - when
you've got guys going for steals as much as they do. But, they do it
very well. They are very tough. They are very athletic and they are
very deep. I think it's an effective way to play for them,
particularly with rookies.
"Their trapping causes a lot of problems. Athletically, they kind of swarmed us. They play good, tough, hard defense. Carolina's effort was just very very good."
On what his team can improve on:
"As we look at the film on this, we'll realize we need to practice
harder so that we can execute better. Kids in today's basketball hope
that the other guy will fall down and they'll just make a three or
dunk the ball. You've got to execute and fight for position.
Hansbrough and Wright did a great job fighting for position and we can
learn things from them. That's why we play them. If we study film
the right way and our guys learn some things we'll be in good shape.
That's why we play these games - to get better. Are we going to be as
good as Wright or Hansbrough? No. But, by seeing what they did,
we'll work harder all season long and by the time our guys are juniors
and seniors we'll be able to win a game like this."
