University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC-Rutgers Postgame Quotes
December 28, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2009
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UNC-Rutgers Postgame Quotes
Roy Williams:
"The second half was not something that we're proud of but Rutgers kept coming at us, kept making plays. We didn't. We missed an awful lot of easy shots. Turned it over a lot, 13 assists, 16 turnovers. We've got to do a better job. We had the break where we had two pretty good practices, we just didn't convert it to the game. You look down there and you have six guys in double figures and you like that, but guys, you've just got to play better."
On goals of playing a bigger lineup at some points in the second half:
"Well we played zone one possession. We've played zone two possessions all year. One John Wall made a three at Kentucky and this one, I think it was Jonathan Mitchell who made it at the corner. I couldn't tell if it was a two or a three, but if you're going to play zone, if the guy's in your zone, you have to play him man to man. But we just let those guys drive in there. So we've played zone two possessions this year and we've given up six points in two possessions."
On Dexter Strickland:
"Speed is good, speed is good. Came down and drove in there and got a layup, but he gave up the basket before the layup and the three after the layup, that's why he came right back out. I told him his offense is great and everyone is cheering for him, but he scored two points and gave up five."
On Will Graves' performance:
"The first half I thought he was effective, but the second half...As you guys can tell, my gosh, how can you expect me to be pleased? I've said a million times, `when you're chasing a ball out of bounds do not throw it back in under your basket.' So, the first half, we threw it back in under their basket, twice. One time in the second half, it was out under our basket so we throw it to the other end, and they make a layup. Will Graves is someone who's been here four years, and I've always said don't shoot it as soon as you get in the game. The first time he went in after a timeout in the second half, he shot from the corner and he missed it. Dexter Strickland didn't know what to do in the corner, in a late game situation, it was either a four or six point game, and he didn't know what to do. So talent took over and he shot it. And I hated the shot, but it went in. So talent took over before intelligence and coaching."
Rutgers Coach Fred Hill:
"RE: Fighting back to make it a close game
"I thought we were having trouble shooting the basketball. And they were doing a good job pressuring the basketball and making us shoot it from outside, and drive past them. But I thought we began to handle it pretty well. We started to score in transition. We also scored going to the basket. We just couldn't knock down a big shot. I knew J. Mitchell would get his looks, just because of the way they play ball screen defense. And so we needed him to knock down a couple big shots, and he just struggled to do that. Mike Rosario didn't shoot the ball well from deep, but he was obviously very good attacking the basket. Just a couple little things [got us back in the game]. We played a couple combination defenses that created turnovers and got us out running and helped us to get back in the game. I thought we were very good in transition and finding baskets there, to get us back in the game."
RE: Rutgers' Ndiaye in foul trouble
"Well it's tough. He's a heck of a leader, he can score, he's a shot blocker, and so it's tough to have him on the bench. And it makes us go into a much smaller lineup and a much younger one with freshmen coming in. But I thought Brian Okam gave us really solid minutes. For what he needed to do, I thought he did a really good job. I also thought Austin Johnson did a really good job. We changed defenses and we were still able to get right back in it. I mean, down four points with two minutes to go, we really gave ourselves a chance. But we made a mistake on the defensive end there. We didn't pick up Dexter Strickland in transition, we made him hesitate, but he still got an open look. But you have to give him credit, he knocked down a big shot."
RE: James Beatty getting to start
"James and Mike have both been outstanding for us at the point guard position. James, being home in North Carolina, gave him the start tonight. It was his first start of the year, but I look at home as a starter. He gives us great energy, he can really push the ball up the floor. We want to play fast and I think you all probably saw a much different style than we have played in the past. And James is one of the reasons for that. He can really get the ball up the floor and get the ball to our big guys."
