.png&width=36&height=36&type=webp)
University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes
December 22, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2007
Recap |
Box Score |
AP Action Photos 
|
Photos
North Carolina Coach Roy Williams
Opening statement:
"Our guys feel a lot better now. I asked them what it would have felt like if it had been the Nicholls State game in the locker room because they would have been worried sick about what was going to happen to them four days from now. We were much much much better. Defensively I thought Marcus [Ginyard] was sensational and a very good player. I think [UCSB guard] Alex [Harris] still had 17, but he's been averaging 24 a game on 13 shots. Today he got 17 on 18 shots plus two free throws. I thought Marcus was sensational with his defensive play and also just being Marcus today. I told him during one time out that he doesn't have to be anybody but Marcus. You don't have to shoot three-point shots, you don't have to go out and create plays, just be the player that you are and you'll be really really good for us. I thought Ty Lawson was sensational. You look down and he has six assists, and I felt like he had 12 or 14. So many times he'd make a pass and guys would end up getting fouled and he was part of it, which I still think should be an assist, but I don't write the rules. I think for us it was a good day. To hold a shooting team that shoots as well as they do to 36 percent is something that we talk about all the time. For us to get 57 [rebounds] and out-rebound 57 to 30, I think that shows that it was a very very good basketball game for us. We didn't shoot the ball exceptionally well to say the very least from the three-point line. Everybody a couple of months ago talked about how bad we shot it, and we went on a stretch where we shot it very well for three or four games. Now we've shot it poorly two games in a row. Hopefully we'll get it going again where we shoot it well. Again, we are very very pleased with what we did. I think for everybody to go home and feel good about their season so far. I did think that we were more attentive on the defensive end. We did a much better job of stopping the dribble penetration. It was a good day for the Tar Heels."
On times when Marcus is not "being Marcus":
"We don't need certain players to score. Players who are scorers need to score. Players who are not scorers don't need to try to be what they're not. I'm not Tiger Woods, and I don't try to be. I probably try to be. There are certain things you have to understand are your limitations. Marcus has been really bothered by his shot I think. We've had one little conversation about it, but not anything big. I think today he was driving the ball into the middle of the lane, he was getting offensive rebounds, he was putting the ball back in, he was pulling up and shooting from eight to 10 feet. Deon [Thompson] was rebounding the basketball. Deon defensively was much better than he has been recently. I think everybody's got strengths, and everyone has weaknesses. I think one of my deals as a coach all the time is to try and play their strengths and stay awake from their weaknesses and continue to work on them so they don't stay weaknesses."
On what strengths Marcus has:
"In the half court today I thought he took the ball to the basket and made passes out of it when he got it into the lane area. Shooting the eight to 10 foot shot, he has the ability to get fouled and still make the shot sometimes as well. Marcus's biggest value is defensively, getting offensive rebounds, doing all the little things, making the extra pass, he did that a couple of times today. Sometimes he makes the pass that leads to the assist just because he makes a simple play. His numbers don't look good offensively, but I know what his value is to us defensively and what his value to our team is."
UC Santa Barbara Head Coach Bob Williams
On the Tar Heels:
"The Tar Heels were everything we expected and more, but it's just amazing how quickly they get that ball up the floor. They exposed us in a lot of ways. In areas that we have breakdowns, they would expose to a pretty high level. Coach said afterwards that he thought this was the best they played and I don't necessarily see that, but I think they came out definitely ready to play at a high level; they defended well, they transitioned extremely well, and they just kind of exposed us in a lot a areas. We have a lot of room to grow in."
On transitioning:
"We did not transition very well in order to counteract their speed and we consistently couldn't get to them. We'd have periods where, maybe two, three, four minutes, where we'd actually transition and get a stop and contain them a little bit. But, we couldn't consistently get back. We got exposed in rebounding 57-30. In the second half we took better care of the ball; we had five turnovers in the second half of the game. So, there's a lot of area to grow on this type of game."
On the experience at the Dean Dome:
"I think it's kind of a great atmosphere. When we had breakdowns, they're so good they capitalized on them. So, other people we've played would have not been as good as North Carolina, we can make up for a breakdown; we can make up for a lack of discipline, or a lack of teamwork in terms of setting a good screen, a great screen, or blocking out well, or doing those things like beating someone to the ball. Well, these guys play harder and out-talented us at every position."
On his team's efforts:
"I was not pleased with anybody's play. Maybe the one guy I was kind of pleased with how they fought was Paul Roemer. I don't think anybody else played at a very high level and I don't care if they scored points or not, they didn't play at a very high level at the other end of the floor. So, don't be deceived by the fact that someone makes a few shots with the idea that they are playing at a high level. The discipline wasn't there and the commitment wasn't there. It just gives us a lot of good areas to work on."
