University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes - Carolina 72, Virginia 70
February 27, 2015 | Women's Basketball
Postgame Press Conference
North Carolina 72, Virginia 70 • February 26, 2015
Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell
Opening Statement
“First of all I want to say what a great team Virginia is. I knew they were. All season I've been talking about how good they were, and their record does not do justice to them. I'll do whatever I can to help them get into the NCAA tournament because they're, without a doubt, better than the top 60-70% that will make it. That just shows you how good our league is. We started off slow. I was concerned about the emotion from senior night. I told the girls in the locker room, 'Look, Virginia is going to come out and play like you can't imagine because they need a couple wins to get into the tournament. They will come out and play as good as anybody we've played all year.' They started out like that. They were emotional and all, so they had to settle down and everything. I had to substitute and everything like that. Then we finally got our composure and started playing some basketball. I thought it was a great game, and we did a lot of good things in the second half. In the last three and a half minutes or so, we got some good shots. We missed some layups and put backs. Virginia kept giving it to [Faith] Randolph, and she was so tough. Stephanie's shot was big, but the last possession down Brittany [Rountree] had four fouls so we took her off Randolph. She looked at me and said, 'Can I face guard her?' I said yes. So the last possession, we put her on her. She face guarded her and she didn't let her get the ball. That was major. That was as big as her [Stephanie Mavunga] shot. I want to give credit where credit is due. They're a great team. It's a big win for us. We always have great games with Virginia. They're an excellent team and I hope they can get in the tournament because they definitely deserve to. Again, it shows how tough our league is.
On the final play
“I knew exactly what we were going to run. I wanted Allisha [Gray] to get the ball on a quick handoff and turn the corner. They switched, but she was still able to get in there and put a shot up. She's so strong and she's left-handed. Coming off that side helps even more because she's left-handed. I don't know if she got hit or not, everybody says she did, but just the fact Stephanie [Mavunga] was able to get it. We timed it, and told them to go with about seven seconds on the clock. They did. Latifah [Coleman] did a great job setting that up and running it. It worked.”
Stephanie Mavunga, So., F.
On setting up the final play
“I've heard a lot that shots are going to come off weak side. Weak side was opposite of where the ball was shot. So Allisha [Gray] drove left, so I thought let me be on this side so I can get the rebound. I knew I had to front my girl so she couldn't get around me. I just help my spot and held my ground. Then I just got the ball and knew there was no time left. We timed it perfectly. Seven seconds and I knew that some pretty good time had gone past. I just got the ball from where I was, and I just shot it. No perfect set up for me to be right there or anything, I just kind of happened to be there.
On the feeling of scoring the winning shot
“It's one of the greatest feelings ever. One thing I don't like, I don't like going into overtime. I like winning in regulation. That was the thing. We were all saying in the huddle that we're going to win this thing in regulation and we're not going into overtime. It's just a great feeling, especially when you hit the shot. Actually no, I think I like it when someone else hits the shot because then I'm really nervous. I'm thinking, 'Oh gosh. I really have to make this because if I miss I'm going to have to think about this all night.' Actually, it's just a great feeling knowing we really played hard and we really focused for that one play. We played so hard all game for us not to just go home and take a loss or go home and have to play an extra five minutes, so it's a good feeling.”
Brittany Rountree, Sr., G.
On the emotion at the beginning of the game
“Honestly I can't really describe it. It's just a special feeling. Like Coach Hatchell said, we were very emotional just to the point of wanting to win. I just didn't want to lose on senior night, and neither did anyone else. Just winning for my team was set in stone for me.”
On how she played
“It was alright. I feel like some things could've been better, but I 'm still happy it was a great game.”
On the emotion in the huddle after the game
“I don't think anything was said. There was just a lot of emotions or 'I love you.' It was just a lot of emotions or tears falling, but nothing had to be said.”
Virginia Head Coach Joanne Boyle
Opening Statement
“A gutsy game by both teams, and it's just hard to come out of this end of it, but just really proud of my team and how they fought and executed down the stretch. Credit to Carolina just for finishing the game like that.”
On the game's deciding factor
“I think what it comes down to, we turned the ball over 21 times and we shot poorly from the free-throw line. To me, that's the story. It doesn't come down to one play.”
On the key to their scoring
“We just keep talking about, we've been in so many, we haven't finished games well and we've been playing with these great teams in this conference. Thirty-four minutes and we haven't been able to play the last six. So they know they can play with anybody in the conference, and so we've just been having some really good practices, even though, like I said, we haven't always come out on the W column. And they just keep fighting for it. I just see the persistence in them, and they believe in themselves, and they're fighting for everything right now.”
Faith Randolph, Jr., G on the team's effort
“I thought that we fought for 40 minutes. This team just keeps grinding. Hopefully we'll see the results in the end.”
On her points tonight
“My shot felt good. I just took what the defense gave me. When I saw the three open, I took it. If I saw the mid-range, I just took it, too.”
Aliyah Huland, Fr., G on the biggest positives of the game
“The way we fought. I mean obviously it didn't come out in a win, and credit to Carolina, they played a great game. But I think it's there, and we're so close. We just got to finish it.”
