.png&width=36&height=36&type=webp)
University of North Carolina Athletics
Luke Maye had a career day the last time the Tar Heels visited PNC Arena.
Photo by: J.D. Lyon Jr.
GoHeels Exclusive: NCSU Press Conference Notebook
January 7, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
With North Carolina entering Tuesday's game against N.C. State on a seven-game winning streak at PNC Arena, Roy Williams was asked during Monday's press conference why his team's found success at the facility.
Questions about one or more of the venues that UNC plays in arise each season, most frequently during postseason play. And true to form, Williams responded to Monday's question with a familiar answer.
"I've never lost to a building and never had a building win a game for me," he said. "We've generally played pretty well over there. They whacked us one year where right before the half they threw it in to a guy and he dribbled 70 feet and laid it up and nobody took him. So, I wasn't very pleased then. That was bad coaching or stupid players or a combination of both.
"But most of the time, we've been pretty focused on the road. And I get excited to go and play in their house."
Here are four other notes from Monday's press conference, leading up to Tuesday's 9 p.m. game in Raleigh:
A different look
On multiple occasions during Saturday's 85-60 win over Pittsburgh, the Tar Heels employed a 2-3 zone as opposed to the man-to-man defense that Williams prefers. And more often than not, they found success with the scheme.
Monday, Williams said he used the zone largely because of his team's foul problems and struggles closing off the driving lanes. He was also asked if he'd use it more this season.
"Yeah, I'll consider using it more down the road if we can't keep them out of the lane or from making every shot," Williams said. "One year we played Louisville in two great games, at our place and their place – I think Marcus (Paige) made a shot to beat them here and we lost up there. And then in the (ACC) Tournament we couldn't stop them. So we went to zone and we hadn't practiced it for three weeks, but they started missing shots. So it makes you look good. Heck, we hadn't even practiced the dadgum thing.
"Sometimes it's the way other teams attack it, too. I don't like it. So if they're successful with it, I'll be the first guy to get out of it.
'A complete all-around player'
N.C. State point guard Markell Johnson enters Tuesday averaging 12.4 points, the second most on the team, and shooting 60 percent from the field this season. He's especially excelled against Power 5 Conference opponents, averaging 20 points on 63.2 percent shooting in five games.
Williams spoke Monday of the challenges Johnson will present.
"Much more so than last year, he's a complete all-around player," Williams said. "His shot is much better this year, his percentages are much better from the floor, his percentage is much better from the 3-point line. … I've always liked point guards who can score. I just think he's a more complete player, he's good defensively, he makes the pass at the right time to the right man and he shoots the ball and it goes in."
Maye's career day
The last time Carolina faced N.C. State at PNC Arena, on Feb. 10, 2018, Luke Maye scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a 96-89 win. He had 27 points and nine rebounds in the second half alone.
"I don't really think I played real well in the first half," said Maye on Monday. "But I got it going in the second half, was able to get some good looks and was just able to knock them down and kind of got rolling a little bit.
"Whenever you feel that way, you just kind of feel like the basket is huge and everything you shoot can go in. That's kind of how I felt, and hopefully I can do that tomorrow."
'No set timetable' for Manley
Williams said Monday that Sterling Manley will miss his third straight game Tuesday because of a sore left knee. He added that Manley's injury is being approached on a "day-by-day basis."
"There's no set timetable, set plan," Williams said. "We're just going to wait and see what happens. Coby (White's sore left ankle) was a little different, but what we did with Coby is we sat him out (against UNCW) so it wouldn't hurt.
"Unless the doctors come and say, 'He's going to have surgery, we're going do this procedure or we're going to do that procedure,' I just tell them to let me know when he can practice."
With North Carolina entering Tuesday's game against N.C. State on a seven-game winning streak at PNC Arena, Roy Williams was asked during Monday's press conference why his team's found success at the facility.
Questions about one or more of the venues that UNC plays in arise each season, most frequently during postseason play. And true to form, Williams responded to Monday's question with a familiar answer.
"I've never lost to a building and never had a building win a game for me," he said. "We've generally played pretty well over there. They whacked us one year where right before the half they threw it in to a guy and he dribbled 70 feet and laid it up and nobody took him. So, I wasn't very pleased then. That was bad coaching or stupid players or a combination of both.
"But most of the time, we've been pretty focused on the road. And I get excited to go and play in their house."
Here are four other notes from Monday's press conference, leading up to Tuesday's 9 p.m. game in Raleigh:
A different look
On multiple occasions during Saturday's 85-60 win over Pittsburgh, the Tar Heels employed a 2-3 zone as opposed to the man-to-man defense that Williams prefers. And more often than not, they found success with the scheme.
Monday, Williams said he used the zone largely because of his team's foul problems and struggles closing off the driving lanes. He was also asked if he'd use it more this season.
"Yeah, I'll consider using it more down the road if we can't keep them out of the lane or from making every shot," Williams said. "One year we played Louisville in two great games, at our place and their place – I think Marcus (Paige) made a shot to beat them here and we lost up there. And then in the (ACC) Tournament we couldn't stop them. So we went to zone and we hadn't practiced it for three weeks, but they started missing shots. So it makes you look good. Heck, we hadn't even practiced the dadgum thing.
"Sometimes it's the way other teams attack it, too. I don't like it. So if they're successful with it, I'll be the first guy to get out of it.
'A complete all-around player'
N.C. State point guard Markell Johnson enters Tuesday averaging 12.4 points, the second most on the team, and shooting 60 percent from the field this season. He's especially excelled against Power 5 Conference opponents, averaging 20 points on 63.2 percent shooting in five games.
Williams spoke Monday of the challenges Johnson will present.
"Much more so than last year, he's a complete all-around player," Williams said. "His shot is much better this year, his percentages are much better from the floor, his percentage is much better from the 3-point line. … I've always liked point guards who can score. I just think he's a more complete player, he's good defensively, he makes the pass at the right time to the right man and he shoots the ball and it goes in."
Maye's career day
The last time Carolina faced N.C. State at PNC Arena, on Feb. 10, 2018, Luke Maye scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a 96-89 win. He had 27 points and nine rebounds in the second half alone.
"I don't really think I played real well in the first half," said Maye on Monday. "But I got it going in the second half, was able to get some good looks and was just able to knock them down and kind of got rolling a little bit.
"Whenever you feel that way, you just kind of feel like the basket is huge and everything you shoot can go in. That's kind of how I felt, and hopefully I can do that tomorrow."
'No set timetable' for Manley
Williams said Monday that Sterling Manley will miss his third straight game Tuesday because of a sore left knee. He added that Manley's injury is being approached on a "day-by-day basis."
"There's no set timetable, set plan," Williams said. "We're just going to wait and see what happens. Coby (White's sore left ankle) was a little different, but what we did with Coby is we sat him out (against UNCW) so it wouldn't hurt.
"Unless the doctors come and say, 'He's going to have surgery, we're going do this procedure or we're going to do that procedure,' I just tell them to let me know when he can practice."
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
UNC Football: Tar Heels Hold Off Stanford, 20-15
Sunday, November 09
Hubert Davis Post-Kansas Press Conference
Saturday, November 08
UNC Men's Basketball: Dominant Second Half Leads Tar Heels By Kansas, 87-74
Saturday, November 08
UNC Field Hockey: Carolina Wins Ninth Straight ACC Championship
Saturday, November 08