University of North Carolina Athletics
Duke vs. North Carolina Quotes
February 25, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 25, 2006
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North Carolina Coach and Player Quotes
Opening statement from Coach Sylvia Hatchell:
"I'm just proud of our team for being the regular season ACC champs. We played an excellent, excellent Duke team out there today. I thought our gameplan worked well. The players played their hearts out and thank goodness we had our season high with rebounding, because I knew that was going to make a lot of difference.
I just thought it was a great team effort, We knew Duke was probably going to come back and make a run, which they did. But I thought we hung tough.
It was a great atmosphere, great game and I'm just really proud of these kids."
Hatchell on what the team tried to do:
"We just tried to do the same things we've been doing all year - be aggressive defensively and offensively, taking the ball to the basket, getting it inside, getting good movement in our offense. Defensively we threw some different things at them.
I thought our kids played really hard. I thought at the start of the game we were very aggressive taking the ball to the basket. We were focused and made some big shots."
Erlana Larkins on the importance of rebounding and what Coach Hatchell told the team:
"It was big because I think we got out rebounded by 16 over there (at Duke), so she said that was going to be one of the keys to the game, our rebounding. I just went in there and tried to get every rebound I could."
La'Tangela Atkinson on rebounding:
"Coach talks about it a lot. That's the first thing that comes out of her mouth is 'rebound'. Last night I was dreaming about rebounding. So, I made sure every time I got in, every chance I got, to make sure to get a rebound."
Ivory Latta on playing the Duke game at Carmichael Auditorium, versus the Smith Center, where the UNC-Duke game was played the two previous years:
"It felt good playing in Carmichael. We had our fans here. We appreciate their support in everything. Playing in the Dean Dome is great, too, but playing in Carmichael for the first time [against Duke] in my career was a great experience."
Camille Little on the difference between this game and the season's first matchup with Duke:
"This time we led the whole game, that was a good thing. That was a difference. I just liked the home crowd advantage. We sold this place out, which was great. People were outside at 11 o'clock, 10 o'clock in the morning waiting to get in the gym, so I'm just happy that we had a crowd like this. It was great."
Duke Coach and Player Quotes
Head Coach Gail Goestenkors' opening statement
"Congratulations to Carolina. I thought they played an excellent game. I know they have been struggling with their rebounding, and they took it out on us today. They did a great job on the boards, especially on the offensive boards. Their pressure once again caused us problems. We did not play with a whole lot of poise, I thought. We didn't play our game - we didn't play Duke basketball. We will regroup and try to get ready for the ACC Tournament."
Goestenkors on turning the ball over
"When you turn the ball over, they are going to make you pay for it. Some teams you can get away with turning the ball over 23 times, but against Carolina, if you turn it over 23 times, they are going to make you pay on at least half of them and convert them into easy shots."
Monique Currie on Carolina's ability to make Duke not play its game
"I guess it is something about Carolina that makes us go out there and not play our game. They made us rush and make bad decisions, and they killed us on the boards. All of us for the most part think that we are in total control of it; we just didn't take care of it today."
Goestenkors on Duke's lack of poise
"I wouldn't say its an easy fix, I would say it's a mentality. Once again I feel like we need to become mentally tougher."
Wanisha Smith on Duke changing the pace of the game
"I think when we finally realized we needed to attack, we needed to go after every steal, and we got a couple of steals in and we just needed to go after them because all through the game we weren't being the aggressor."
Goestenkors on what she told her team after first half
"We talked about being who we are and that's a team that's very aggressive and assertive and confident and has the attack mindset. And I thought in the first half we were extremely tentative and passive and that's not our game."
Goestenkors on Carolina having won the last five matchups and the roadblock that creates when trying to win a national championship
"I don't know, we may see them again, we may not see them again. If nothing else it has help to prepare us for any other team that we may see who is extremely athletic and likes to press."
