UNC-Louisville Postgame Quotes

Roy Williams
Postgame Quotes
UNC vs. Louisville 2-20-21

Opening Statement: Well, needless to say the biggest thing, the biggest statement of the game probably is we caught them at a very good time. They haven't had practices like normal, like they were having earlier in the year. They beat Florida State, they beat Duke. We caught them on a really good time. For us, it wasn't really a good time for them. We did share the ball better tonight than we have been doing. We did everything better except shoot free throws. We didn't make free throws and that shows how smart I am. I had everybody shoot individually 300 free throws this week with a manager counting it. Everybody on the team shot above 79%. That didn't work, I'll try something else next week. Have five guys in double figures. It was important. It was a close game, it was a two or three-point game and I think that's when Kerwin [Walton] went on a stretch there, made two or three threes in a short time period there. And then, every time we made a substitution, those guys that came in the game were really important. Day'Ron [Sharpe] was 6 for 8 at halftime and both his misses were about a foot away. Again, I thought he was really active. 21 and 11 for him. The biggest thing is for us, we shot the ball well which we haven't done very often this year. And we didn't turn it over very much. 29 and 11. Those are the kind of things we've been trying to emphasize more than anything. But again, we caught a team that didn't have their game legs today.

Q: At 31-12 to close the half, I think the last 33 points were from the freshmen. What was the difference for them during that stretch and your thoughts on the freshman having that kind of a run together? I don't think they've had that yet this year.

RW: Well I think the majority of it was Kerwin and Day'Ron for sure. You know, Caleb [Love] was three assists, four turnovers tonight. Last game he was nine assists, two turnovers and we had five different times he should've had assists because they either missed a shot or got fouled and he didn't get the assist. I was pleased with him tonight. I think he made one three during that time period that you're talking about. But most of it was Kerwin and Day'Ron. Kerwin made four out of five in one stretch there and took it to the basket and made one off the dribble and drive in the open floor as well. I've said all along, I think our freshmen are going to be good players. My request is they do it during my lifetime and today it was in the first half. Hope I get to see more than that before I kick out.

Q: I know you talked about Louisville having not played for a while. Just all that aside, is that the best basketball you've seen your team play this season?

RW: Yeah, we were good. I mean we shared the ball. Again, I can remember almost every single turnover. Like if you have 30 of them it's hard to remember every one. I think we did some good things offensively, sharing the ball, moving the ball, and for sure, you know it's 61% for the game. And the two highest stats we've had all year were the first half and then we broke that and we beat that in the second half. Defensively, early on in the game I felt like we were giving up too many second shots. They had two guys with three offensive rebounds in the first half that they weren't able to convert any of those so we got lucky. In the start of the second half, first five or six minutes we had five second shots for them and five turnovers for us. Other than that, we did some really good things.

Q: You mentioned the freshmen, hope you get it some point, hopefully in your lifetime. Do you get a sense that of late though, that they might be figuring out the physicality or the rigor of the college game a little bit more? It seems like Walker [Kessler] is getting his legs under him. Kerwin taking the ball off the bounce, I know that's something that hasn't been as familiar for him. Do you get a sense that things are sort of making sense to them?

RW: Well, I think you used the word physicality, I don't know if they've gotten that by any means because it is such a physical, hard game. But I do think they're understanding what we're asking them to do more and doing a better job with that. There's no question about that part of it. And it all starts with the guards. RJ [Davis] was 3/1 (assist/turnovers), Andrew [Platek] was 5/0, Kerwin was 4/3, Caleb as I said was 3/4. It starts with the guards because you've got to get the ball to the big guys who typically have done a great job for us of scoring and making easy shots. We haven't done that necessarily the last two games very often but we're not at the level we were doing it earlier. Armando [Bacot] got in foul trouble in the first half and he was out and all of a sudden Day'Ron was getting every offensive rebound during that time. That's what you like to have happen too.

Q: You guys added a game last week, you announced another one for this week. Could you see a benefit maybe in the days since the other night where you guys played? You know, you got a game in there, something to build on for these young guys. Did you see a benefit tonight and the result you wanted in that regard?

RW: I think they do get a benefit from playing. Guys, it's legal to have 27 regular season games, I'd like to get 27 in. It's like I told you whenever it was, the last game, if you lose a game, we're going to try to do everything we can to get the ACC games rescheduled. And if that doesn't work, then there's a lot of teams around the country like us that don't have as many games. I think it's good for kids to play. Day'Ron just walked in, I guarantee he enjoys games a lot more than he enjoys my practices. He silently, not silently just a very small nod of recognition to our athletic director right there at that time. I do think kids like to play and it gives you a little more of a rhythm. You have two or three practices and then you play a game. Two or three practices and you play a game. Two or three practices and you play a game. We're still hoping we get 27 in. We don't know if it's going to happen or not but we're still hoping that we do. But yeah, I think it was a benefit. Of course I feel that way because it was my idea.

Q: As you mentioned, you shot 61% from the floor tonight. What was clicking offensively for you guys?

RW: Well I think everything. The biggest stretch was Kerwin from the outside. And then Day'Ron, the offensive rebounds and Day'Ron and Walker Kessler making good passes to each other. During that stretch, the last I'm going to guess 10 minutes of the first half. I think when we're sharing the ball and moving the ball and everybody's getting involved, I think they enjoy it a heck of a lot more.

Q: Kerwin had a couple of times where he pump-faked and drove to the basket as opposed to just settling for the outside shot. Is that something that's been kind of a point of emphasis with him in terms of rounding out his total offensive game?

RW: I think that would be trying to give the coaches too much credit. I think that Kerwin has been able to do those kind of things it's just that he hasn't been comfortable enough doing it. I'll say something to him about pump-fake and get a guy off the ground and that kind of thing. He's showing us a little bit more of his game as we go along and I think that the comfort level is the biggest part of it for him.

Q: I hear you on sharing the ball and the ball movement. But is also maybe the moving without the ball, that seemed like it was really good tonight. Somebody like Day'Ron, he seemed like he was cutting well and just getting him going to the basket seemed like it was a pretty nice formula for you guys because he's so strong around it. Was the moving without the ball maybe better than you've seen it?

RW: Well it's something that we've been working on all year long. My entire coaching career I've yelled "run" more than anything. And with this team I yell "move" more than anything. I'd like to have a certain number of dollars for every time I've yelled "move", but I do think they're understanding that a little bit more. You know, our big guys can score. We've got to get the ball to them. And then the defense sags back in so much and all of a sudden those outside shots get a little better. We've tinkered with the offense a little bit this last week trying to add one other thing and maybe that's helped us. But I think the kids just understanding everything we're trying to say and do. Gosh almighty, we've practiced, I think we've had 75 practices. You've got to be able to get some meaning across to them.

Q: I know you're probably never going to say it's fun during the games, but with the energy your guys had, how much fun do you think they were having, passing the ball, playing great team ball, being unselfish?

RW: I think they love playing that way, every one of our guys. You know, I've always said it takes a special person to enjoy other people's successes. Our guys get so excited when Kerwin makes those shots and Kerwin doesn't say "boo". I mean they get him to talk way more than we do. The kids want him to be successful. When Day'Ron is that active around the board. That's something that the guys appreciate. I'll go back again, I'll tell you somebody else. Leaky Black. Zero. And everybody loves to see Leaky play well. Four assists, one turnover. And I think seven rebounds. I showed him after one game we played where a guy on the other team was 0 for 3 but he had eight assists, seven rebounds or vice versa. He was a key factor in the game. So our guys want Leaky to score but they realize how important he is. It's a great group that they do enjoy each other, they get after each other. When I'm not around, they get after me a great deal and I understand that. I'm going to get one of them one day to mimic me and see what it looks like. But they're great kids that enjoy playing basketball and enjoy the team doing well.

Players Press Conference vs. Louisville

Day'ron Sharpe
Q: I think one thing that stands out about your game is your motor. I mean, what is it about how you play, your style of play, you think stands out and that really distinguishes you from maybe other players out there?
Sharpe: I thought I just played hard every possession. I just do the little things harder than anybody else; boxing out, going to the glass, playing defense, trying to help my teammates out, talking. I just feel like somebody on the team gotta bring energy so the rest of the players can bring energy.

Q: You guys had 29 assists this evening. What did you make of the ball movement, and what was going so right to be able to share it that way?
Sharpe: I feel like we started to realize like when we move the ball more it's easier to score. When we get the ball we throw the ball in the post and throw it back out for three, we try to get Kerwin (Walton) on ball screens for three, cut to the basket you know. We got a play you know where we just cut and freelance to get the ball movement so we can score easier.

Q: You just heard that statistic, 73 points, most ever by freshmen. Roy says he wants to see you guys be good in his lifetime. Is that like any sort of motivation to go out and do things like this? Do you feel like as a group that you guys are maybe starting to figure things out a little bit more?
Sharpe: Yeah, I feel like when the freshman play good, the team does real good. Our freshmen are a big part of our team, we don't have a lot of upperclassmen, we got a lot of freshmen. When we step our game up it helps our team.

Q: Do you think you guys are feeling a sense of urgency with the ACC Tournament coming up and now NCAA Tournament talks and kind of knowing these games mean a little bit more?
Sharpe: I feel like every game means something. Even if the tournament wasn't coming up or the ACC Tournament I feel like every game means something just 'cause there's a game.

Q: You guys had a game added to the schedule last week, you got another one coming up this week, how valuable do you think it was with everything being so unpredictable and postponements to be able to have gotten the game Wednesday and maybe how that led into today?
Sharpe: I feel like the more games we have the more we are prepared for the ACC Tournament and March Madness so we can show people what we're made of.

Q: I think today it was 17-17 at one point in the first half and then you guys broke the game open. It was all points from freshman during the end of the first half. What did that run that you guys went on, what did that feel like out there? Did you feel like that game was changing?
Sharpe: When we went on that run I felt like we were going to blow the game open. I feel like we were about to blow them out and we just had to keep applying pressure so we could do that.

Q: It's been such a weird year with all of the pauses and all of the stops. How fun was it to have that game today when you guys were scoring 99 points and it seemed like everything kind of clicked? Was that the most fun you've had so far at UNC?
Sharpe: That game was probably the best game we've had, like the most fun game we had. When we play like that, I feel like that's how hard we should play every game, it's something we should bring to the table every day when we play a game.

Q: You mentioned that you guys should play like this all the time. What was different about the energy, like why today?
Sharpe: I feel like we kinda got a chip on our shoulder. Our last ACC game we played against UVA and we didn't play too well, you know, we had 50 points so it wasn't a good game for us so I feel like we had to show people we are made of.

Kerwin Walton
Q: We saw you put the ball on the floor and get to the rim a couple of times in this game when guys came for the full closeout on threes. How much have you kind of been working on that? Coach Williams said he felt like it was a matter of your comfort level getting comfortable doing that. Can you just kind of take us through, you know, you expanding your game?
Walton: Yeah, I've been getting really comfortable, very, very comfortable. I know defense is going to come up on me because I'm a shooter and they're gonna try their hardest to take that away from me, so I'm just gonna take what they're gonna give me and they're going to give me the drive so I'm gonna go in for the layup and go in strong, go in hard, and just try to finish the basket.

Q: You were a late addition to this class. You weren't a top 50 guy, maybe closer to the top 100. Did you expect to have an impact this early? Because you are obviously one of the better shooters in the ACC right now.
Walton: I didn't know what to expect. I just knew that my time would come. I wasn't sure when it would come but I was for sure going to be prepared for it. My focus was getting better every day. I didn't really care if I was ranked high or if I was ranked low, I was just worried about putting the ball in the hole, playing defense and winning games. That was my motto and that's what I stick by, and I always continue to work hard and get better.

Q: And a quick follow up, how do you feel like you have gotten better from September/October to now?
Walton: Well, just listening to the coaches and doing what they tell me to do. Just really locking-in in practice and trying to implement everything they try to teach me in the games. Just working hard on my own, getting shots up, making sure my handles stay sharp, and being able to do what I do best.

Q: How much pride do you have being a part of this freshman class that has had such a big improvement as the season goes on and to see what you guys did tonight?
Walton: I mean I got a lot of pride. I got a lot of pride just being on this team. Just playing for North Carolina in general I think is one of the greatest feelings I've had in my life so far and I couldn't trade it for anything else. Being a part of this program, it means the world to me, and I am going to continue to do my best to improve everybody and improve myself.

Q: Roy's been clear about wanting to get more games for you guys with all the postponements and everything crazy on the schedule. You guys had a game added to the schedule last week and that gave you another chance to kind of play and build. How valuable do you think these late additions to the schedule are, these games that give you something more to develop and more to build on as you go down the schedule?
Walton: It's very important for us. Just because it helps us get better. It helps us learn more about ourselves and things we got to work on. I think we could all agree, every player in the nation could agree that playing is way better than practicing. I think that getting more wins is going to help us, especially for the tournament down the road, and is going to help us improve our defense and offense. That's just what our main focus is.

Q: When you catch on the perimeter you know like half the bench is usually standing up. I'm sure you're aware of that. What does that feeling like knowing that those guys are behind you and want you to put it up? And then also to follow on that, you know, there's some times you pump them, and they're standing there and you're driving to the hole. What is that whole dynamic like?
Walton: That just gives me so much confidence. Everybody has a lot of confidence in me, they get super surprised when I miss. And they tell me I am not allowed to miss, which is hilarious. They just have a lot of confidence in me. They think everything that I put up is going to go in because they know how good of a shooter I am. That actually gives me a lot of confidence to put the ball up and make every shot I can. They're just great teammates.

Armando Bacot
Q: 29 assists today, what did you make of the team's ball movement, and what was working for you so well to be able to share it like that?
Bacot: We got a good couple of days of practice and we've been able to start to see us make more of a shift, becoming more of a team and better. I feel like we were able to display that today in the game.

Q: Freshmen had the last 33 points of the first half and scored 71 today. What have you seen collectively about their confidence? Especially these last few weeks the way a lot of them have kind of picked up their games?
Bacot: Later on in the season we've been giving freshmen more opportunities just to do different things and they're starting to get more comfortable having a feel for the ACC as we get towards the latter part of the season. That's what you can attribute to their good performances as of recently.

Q: This was the first game where all four bigs scored in double figures, you guys had 58 points in the paint. How different is this team, or how dangerous is this team, when you guys truly go inside out like that and take advantage of your presence inside?
Bacot: It's hard to stop. We just keep throwing in different bigs. We bring a lot of energy, get on the boards, get their big men in foul trouble, it just changes the game. That's when it starts sinking in. When we hit shots we're a really hard team to beat.

Q: How much fun did you guys have out there getting a big win like this? Y'all have not had many games like this this year.
Bacot: It was a lot of fun for me especially coming off of last year. I remember we played at Louisville and they beat the crap out of us. It was definitely just fun having the chance to go out there and win convincingly versus them because we've been through a lot. That was one of the toughest games last year for us. Shoutout to all of the old guys, this is for y'all.

Q: What was different about today with the energy than maybe some other games where you guys have come out afterwards and said that the energy just isn't there. What was the difference, do you think?
Bacot: We never let our foot off the gas, we just kept on playing the whole game. I feel like that was the biggest difference. Usually we'll play hard come out, or we'll start out flat and then play hard, but we played hard throughout the whole game.

Q: It seems like Kerwin (Walton) is playing better and as of late. Do you feel like his personality is starting to come out more lately? It seemed like at the start of the year, I think Roy said that he didn't really talk much and was really quiet. I mean is he sort of coming into his own more even with his personality?
Bacot: No, he still doesn't ever talk. He really never talks. I usually like to pick on him and mess with him when he's quiet, but besides that you'll never hear him talk. Like ever.

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Armando Bacot

Leaky Black

Walker Kessler

Kerwin Walton

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