University of North Carolina Athletics
Post Game Quotes
March 29, 2009 | Men's Basketball
March 29, 2009
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North Carolina Junior Forward Deon Thompson
On defending Blake Griffin...
(The plan was) definitely to double-down every time he got the ball, to get the ball out of his hands. Most of our guards rotated over and everybody just sprinted off. We shut him down. He still got his numbers but it definitely helped.
On the guards defending...
It was a spread offense, so you have to contain your man and if they do put a shot up, you have to get a hand up. We did a great job of that because I don't know what they shot from the three-point line, but I know it wasn't good.
On getting his game going...
Tyler (Hansbrough) did a great job of feeding me the ball in the high-low's in the second half and getting me the ball in the position that I like to make my moves in. Tyler made some good passes.
On the team's defense...
We were just attacking the game with what we were given and we were going out and executing the game plan the way the coaches drew it up.
On going back to the Final Four...
The way last year ended, it hurt everybody. To get back there and know that we have a chance to redeem ourselves is a big-time feeling to have. Now, we have to put this behind us real quickly and get prepared for Villanova.
North Carolina Junior Guard Wayne Ellington
On how North Carolina is playing right now...
"We had a great team effort. A lot of guys contributed. It was fun. When we came out for the game, we were relaxed, and we attacked them."
On North Carolina's defense...
"We knew it was going to be tough. We wanted to make them pass it into Blake (Griffin) and make him throw it back out. We did a great job rotating and got some shot clock violations, so we did a pretty good job."
Shot clock violations - we don't see many of those. What did that feel like? You guys showed that if you want to, you can play serious defense...
"We can. When we turn that switch, we definitely can. We can get some big-time shots, and that's what we did today."
North Carolina Senior Guard Bobby Frasor
On Danny Green's performance...
"That's what he's done all year. He's kept us in games in the first half. To have a big-time performance like that, we were winning the game because of him. Danny always comes up with plays. He had that three he hit in transition and that offensive put-back. He's a big-time player."
When shots like that are going down, can you just tell a player is going to have a big game?...
"You know it's your kind of your day when things like that are going down. It's your team's day, too. We were watching the Michigan State game, and someone banked in a three. When you see shots like that going down, it's your time to shine."
It seemed like even though you were extending the lead, it didn't seem easy out there...
"It's the Elite Eight. The other team is not going to give in. They (Oklahoma Sooners) are a big-time team. I'd say we did get a little complacent and had some stupid turnovers, but I'm happy we got the win."
Oklahoma Sophomore Guard Cade Davis
Can you tell us about how frustrating it was after the season you all played?...
"You can tell by the expression on our faces. It is never easy having a successful season like we did and getting as far as we have. It is a blessing to get this far. You don't want to stop. You get that feeling of winning and the emotions are high. The farther you go in the tournament the more respect you gain. It is real hard. We had our goals set high and this wasn't where we were supposed to go out."
What did North Carolina do to take you out of your offense?...
"I don't think it was as much them as it was us. We didn't cut hard. We weren't running our plays to our full potential. We were real lax. We started doing that more in the second half. We started scoring the ball more. They are a great team. Our defense let us down at times. "
Did you expect that kind of defense?...
"No, we let them get that lead at first and then it was just a battle to get the lead at half. We talked at half time on how we just needed to start chipping away. We made our run and they countered it and started hitting shots. (Ty) Lawson is a tremendous player and he knocked down some big shots for them."
On trading baskets with North Carolina at the start of the second half...
"We kept telling our guys we can't keep trading baskets. What you get offensively is what you get offensively. You have to go down on the other end at get stops and that just never happened."
Oklahoma Junior Guard Tony Crocker
On North Carolina's defense...
"We just made it easy for them to get into their transition. We had a lot of turnovers and missed shots."
On Oklahoma's season...
"We came along ways from our first year not even making it into the tournament to the second round (last year) to where we are now. We had a great season and I'm just sad it had to end."
Oklahoma Senior Guard Omar Leary
On Oklahoma's perimeter shooting...
"We really couldn't hit shots from the perimeter tonight. As you saw in the Syracuse game, our shots were falling from the perimeter. If you look at the game, we were in it within a 10-13 range the whole game. If we would have been able to knock down those three-point baskets, and get some of those to fall that would have given us some confidence going. It would have opened the game up a little bit more. But that's basketball for you. One night you'll be hitting it and the other night they just won't fall for you. That was the case tonight."
On the success of the Oklahoma program this year...
"It's a tremendous feeling. This will go down as memories for all of us to tell our kids and new players that come through the Oklahoma program. Coach (Jeff Capel) was just telling us to seize the moment. It's a national powerhouse that we went out to in North Carolina, but we were just as good. It was just a matter of who was going to be the aggressor tonight. Unfortunately, they were. All the best wishes to them in the Final Four."
On Blake Griffin possibly playing his last game with Oklahoma...
"He's a tremendous friend first and foremost, and a tremendous athlete as well. I think he's going to excel at the next level. He left everyone that was in the stands and on the team with the utmost respect in him. His brother (Taylor Griffin) as well and his family. That's all you can ask for. He's a better person than he is an athlete."
