University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes - Carolina 96, Georgia Tech 81
January 11, 2015 | Women's Basketball
North Carolina 96, Georgia Tech 81
January 11, 2015
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell
Opening Statement
“Thanks for being here. I thought it was a good game. We had a good balance. We played a lot of kids. We're adjusting to Xylina [McDaniel] not being out there, so I thought we did a good job with balance and everything. The biggest thing is that we got on the boards with them. We're proud of that. Georgia Tech is always tough. So physical when you play them, and they're just so, so tough. It was a big win for us.”
On being a statement game
“First of all, Pittsburgh is a lot better than people are giving them credit for. I'm just telling you, they are a lot better. They got the kid volleyball player that's playing as good as any player in the league. We played bad, but they played really good. I mean, they're a good team. We've had a couple of good practices since then, and we're still trying to adjust a little bit to Xylina [McDaniel] not being there. But today was how we need to play for the rest of the year.”
On Hillary Fuller and N'Dea Bryant's role
“We've been playing a lot of kids. We just told them Z [Xylina McDaniel] is not out there. Y'all have got to step up. Y'all have got to help us. They are. N'Dea [Bryant] has got mid-range jump shots. She's got a beautiful shot, and she makes them all the time. She's got a really good mid-range jump shot. [Hillary] Fuller is tough. She is just tough. She's just going to get better and better. She loves contact. She doesn't flinch a bit. She just loves it. I call her Mayor because she is just like, 'What do you need me to do?' She doesn't have to get praise or anything. She just like, 'What do you need me to do? I'll do it. I'll get it done.' You don't have to brag on her and all that stuff. She's just like, 'Ok. I'll get it done.' And she will.
On the takeaway from the previous loss
“We learned a lesson. We learned mental toughness at 6 a.m. that next morning. We ran a lot of sprints because not only did we come out like lackadaisical and nonchalant with the basketball, but we also just got torn up on the rebounds. That's not Carolina basketball, and that's not how we play. That's something that we've been focusing on all season. Coach made us a statement, and we took the statement. We learned from it, and we just decided to move on. We really focused this game. I know during warm ups we were a little big nonchalant for a little while there, but we just looked at each other. We just told one another that we're not going to let this happen again because if we come out that way in warm ups then it will translate to the game as well. So we just picked up the energy, and we played Carolina basketball today. What you saw the other night was not Carolina basketball.”
On starting versus coming off the bench
“Either way for me, coming off the bench or starting, I just know I have to bring energy to the game for the team. Coming off the bench or starting, it really doesn't make a difference to me. I just want to make a difference in the game and help my team out.”
On her mentality
“My mentality coming into this game is just to be focused and let the game come to me. Not force anything. My teammates are going to find me and they're going to get me open then the rest is just coming to me.”
Georgia Tech
Head Coach MaChelle Joseph
Opening Statement
“I thought North Carolina bounced back particularly well from their loss against Pittsburgh. I thought they shot the ball extremely well, especially from the three-point line. I didn't feel as though our team was ever in sync defensively or offensively. It just seemed like we were out of it. This is probably the least competitive I think we have been all season. I just didn't feel like we had the fight in us for 40 minutes like the way we normally do, and that's something we will have to take a step back and look at. It could be a result of being the third road game in four games to open up the ACC, but at the same time we can't make excuses even though we are a young team with no seniors and three juniors, and playing a lot of freshmen and a lot of sophomores. I was proud of the way we responded in the second half. I thought we really came out and battled and were able to put some points on the board.”
On how Kaela Davis being in foul trouble affected the game
“We were counting on Kaela [Davis]. She's been our leading scorer and one of our leading rebounders all season long. Obviously she is a go-to player and we have a lot of high expectations, and we depend on her for a lot of things. Tonight, I thought Aaliyah Whiteside did a great job of stepping up and continuing her streak of being very consistent since Sydney Wallace went out with the ACL injury. I think Roddreka Rogers played hard on both ends of the floor and I was glad to see Nariah Taylor step up. It's one of those things where we're already short handed so we have to have all five of our starters, in particular we have to have Kaela [Davis], Aaliyah [Whiteside], and Roddreka [Rogers], be our most consistent performers.”
On how Carolina's transition game played a role in their win
“I felt like Latifah Coleman does a great job of pushing the ball in transition. She's really quick and unselfish, and makes plays. I definitely thought that they got a lot of production off of their bench. I thought that was a big difference. I think [Jessica] Washington probably had a career high. I mean she really played well for them off of the bench. I think that 16 points was the difference in the game. You look at what she was able to do and it's a 15 point game, and she has 16, you can't let her to become a factor. That's one of the things we talked about in the scouting report and obviously we didn't take care of that. You look at their entire bench, I mean they really did a great job off the bench. I thought that was the difference.”
Aaliyah Whiteside
On her game with Kaela Davis out
“It definitely changed because they were able to just focus in and try to guard on me. I was just trying to be aggressive and keep playing hard regardless of what happens. With her it helps because I am able to assist or look for other options, but it's pretty much the same, just keep playing.”
On why they couldn't get the closer than 12 points in the game
“It was just defense. 96 points is a lot of points to give up and win. It was definitely defensively we would make a run and they would hit us with six straight points or go on a run. It was just that every time we got closer we got knocked back down. So it was just a defensive part, couldn't get a stop.”
