University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC 83, NC State 64
February 22, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2007
Recap |
Box Score |
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Opening Statement:
"I think the backboards were a huge plus for us. Going into the game at State we were the number one team in the league and they were last and they out-rebounded us by eight and were quicker to every ball. Tonight, I thought we rebounded the ball much, much better. Over there, we wanted to get the basketball inside and see if we could get them in foul trouble and maybe get to their bench and we didn't do it. Their big guys had a field day. Today we played much better. Brandan with 24 and Tyler with 20 - it's something that was important to us. I thought in the first half Engin Atsur was sensational. We did a poor job of screening on the ball and so we changed and did a much better job of screening on the ball and defended it much better in the second half. I think that helped us that he wasn't able to dribble off the screen and shoot the three as easily and make it to the basket. I also think that it helped us in the first half that Engin played 20 minutes and we played three different point guards and picked him up at the foul line on the other end and hoped that at the end of the game he would be a little leg weary."
"I feel great about the win. It is something that is important to this team. I loved how much better we competed. Virginia Tech beat us and I thought we would be sensational that night. We didn't have the attention to detail, we didn't have the intensity but I thought tonight we did. We just screwed it up and gave them so many open looks in the first half and they made a bunch of them."
On limiting McCauley's touches:
"One thing, we did try to pressure them tonight. Last game, I told you we wanted to pressure them - the first possession they make six passes, throw it where they want and throw it into a guy for a lay-up. Tonight we tried to defend people and we wanted to the other time and we didn't do it at all. One thing that they do, they do a good job, we wanted to get them off the block and not let `em catch it really low and if they did catch it, we wanted to try to stay down and not try to block the shot, if you're the guy guarding him - try to make him shoot it over you and make it a more difficult shot."
NC State Associate Head Coach Monte Towe
Opening Statement:
"I'm really sorry I'm here under these circumstances, but I'm here. Give North Carolina a lot of credit. They're a very good basketball team. I thought in the second half [North Carolina] did a great job of scoring in transition, which we did a good job of shutting down in the first half, and inside I thought they hurt us a lot, particularly in the second half. Give [North Carolina] credit. Like I said they're a very good basketball team. I thought our kids played very well the first half. Obviously with Coach [Sidney] Lowe not being there the second half, I think it affected all of us.
"We didn't play as well as we needed to to have a chance to win the game. Give North Carolina credit for that. They were very good with their defense. They got a lot of transition in the second half and the post people went inside and that really hurt us in the second half. I thought Engin [Atsur] had a great first half. Our concern was that we were getting a lot of good stuff from him, but we needed to get some offense from some of our other guys. We tried to get that in the second half, but we didn't turn it over and didn't play well enough on the offensive end to get a win. I think the reason why we had some success in Raleigh was on the offensive end and why we had some success here tonight in the first half was our offense was really good. When our offense went bad in the second half it certainly didn't help our chances of winning the game."
On the coaches, staff and players' knowledge of Head Coach Sidney Lowe's condition:
"I was on the road recruiting yesterday and got back at about 2 o'clock this afternoon. When I got to practice he told me he wasn't feeling good. There's been some flu going around and some things like that. I hope that's what it is. I hope he's back with us tomorrow. I knew he wasn't feeling good. During the course of the first half he seemed like he was OK and then at halftime he didn't feel good at all. We all hope and pray that he's back out there tomorrow."
On how aware the players were of Coach Lowe's condition:
"You'd have to ask them. I'm sure they sensed that when I came to talk to them instead of Coach Lowe that something was up. We just told them that we were probably going to have to do without him the second half and that he wasn't feeling good. That's basically all I know at this point that he wasn't feeling good. I think the word was that he wanted to try and come back out on the floor. The medical people didn't think it was a good idea for him to do that."
On how the players responded to Coach Lowe's absence in the second half:
"I thought they were affected. I've had one other situation in my career like that and I'm sorry to say it was about the same result. To lose your head coach during the middle of the game is kind of unique. I think the players sensed that he wasn't feeling good. I really couldn't tell them anything different except that he wasn't feeling good. I kept trying to stress to them that we had a basketball game. Coach [Roy] Williams, I talked to him at halftime, he was very concerned also. We had way too many turnovers. I give Carolina's defense credit for a lot of that. I think their defense played really good the whole game. It took its toll on us more in the second half than it did in the first half. I think in the first half we survived it because of Engin [Atsur] having such a great individual performance. In the second half, it probably amongst other things, their defense took its toll on us."
UNC Player quotes
On difference in State's performance in the second half:
"A little bit, I guess they got a little fatigued. I am not sure of when their coach left, but I think at halftime so I guess that hurt them a little bit too. They got a little rattled and it seemed like they could not pick themselves back up. Well they look like they got tired and lost some of their confidence, but they are a good team and we respect them. They played well and they came out and gave it their best. I think we played a lot better than last time I think we were a little bit more focused and that's why the game was little different for us. There could have been a lot of things that come into play."
On Coach Sidney Lowe's absence in the second half:
"I found out about right before we started the second half. I did not know what was going on, but that's when I found out. When a coach leaves I assume something happened, but I really was not worried about it at the time. He is definitely in our prayers."
On the effect on State in the second half:
"You would have to ask one of their players. That's a team thing with them, it could have affected them it might not have, but I really don't know."
On the alley-hoop from Quentin Thomas:
"Quentin [Thomas] made it an easy play, we do this type of thing all the time during practice. He kind of left the defender off and then he made a great pass and I was wide open, and we just converted it."
On State's performance after Sidney Lowe's absence in the second half:
"I mean that's understandable, but the same time you are still playing and it was unfortunate that he had some health problems, but I still think we played at times and did some things."
On the difference between this game and the first game vs. State:
"Second half we came out and did some good things. We got after them aggressively I think we did not let them come out and be the aggressor, and I think we turned things around tonight."
On the aggressiveness when taking shots:
"Rebounding was a big key for us coming in and Coach [Roy Williams] talked about it and I think they out rebounded us at their place so Coach keying in on that too."
