UNC-Georgia Tech Postgame Quotes

Postgame Quotes vs Georgia Tech
Dec. 10, 2022
Chapel Hill, N.C.
North Carolina 75 - Georgia Tech 59

Armando Bacot
Q: How do you feel y'all played tonight?
A: We played great. We did a good job following the game plan. Georgia Tech runs a Princeton Offense and does a lot of backdoor (cuts) and that did not happen to us once. That was a good start right there and it shows how disciplined we can be. It is something we can build on. We got to win and it has been a long two weeks. It was great to get a win.

Q: How did you feel today?
A: I can't really fully extend my arm out all the way. It is something that I got to deal with and get used to. I got these next couple days to get better and better. I felt like that is why I missed a lot of bunnies around the rim. I just need to get used to fully extending and trusting my shoulder. I only got one day of practice, so I had not played in a week and some change.

Q: What have you seen out of RJ's game this season?
A: Specifically today, I thought he did a great job of getting back to doing what he has been doing. He had been struggling a lot this season. I hope it is something we can build on because when he is scoring the ball like that it is hard to beat us. Especially his rebounding. I gave him a few rebounds today just because I didn't want to fully extend my arm so I just boxed out and let him get the rebound.

Q: On the natural flow of the offense today:
A: Last year we had a lot of success in the tournament in transition. We set a lot of drag screens in transition and Brady (Manek) was shooting the heck out of the ball. We pivoted this week and it is me just running to the front of the rim and punishing defenders. I love playing that way and it got my shot attempts up.

RJ Davis
Q: If there was a sense of urgency today?
A: For sure. It felt great to be back on our home court and have that advantage and feeling. We played with a sense of urgency today on both ends of the floor for a full 40 minutes.

Q: What was the last week of practice like?
A: It was intense, especially building off of the positives in our last few games. It was disappointing not to come out with wins but there was some positivity and positive growth that we saw. We are trying to build off of that and play Carolina Basketball. Coach Davis was passionate and emotional. He was getting us to play hard, dive on the floor, and to play with that energy.

Q: How do you continue this play moving forward?
A: We are looking to build off this win. We have the crowd and the energy on our side now so now it is about not getting complacent, remaining positive, moving forward, and building off this win.

Q: Were there any worries or doubts with this team after the losing streak?
A: No, not at all. Our main motto is to stay together and not worry about what is being said about us. There is always going to be something said about us, win or lose. Our motto is to stay together and try not to worry about what is said about us negatively or positively.

Q: On today's game plan:
A: The key of the game was to get the ball inside and Armando (Bacot) was efficient and able to get points in the paint and dominate when we needed him to.

Caleb Love
Q: What was practice this week like, and how much did the things you worked on this past week play out on the court tonight?
Love: Just not holding our head down on the four losses we had. Coming into practice, we just wanted to be positive and have great energy, and just tighten up what we needed to work on. So, that's what we did this week and it led over to the game.

Q: You guys were a much better team defensively today. What was the difference and what have you guys been working on?
Love: Just buying into our principles. Just sticking to those and trusting one another on the defensive end. Knowing that if we give help then our teammate has our back.

Q: There seemed to be a sense of satisfaction after the game. Do you get the sense that you guys sort of re-found some of the stuff that had been missing?
Love: Being positive and having great energy, that trickles down throughout the whole team. Just seeing guys smiling and having fun, that's been a main thing that coach says to us is just have fun and try your hardest.

Seth Trimble
Q: How would you describe your mentality as a defender?
Trimble: I just want to shut them down. Stick with the player I'm assigned to. They assign me that player, read the scout, do everything, learn about them and I make it my goal just to shut them down. I think what this team needs, it helps the team and also helps us get out in transition, get out in the flow, just kinda play Carolina basketball.

Q: You've looked a little bit more comfortable these past few games. What has changed for you?
Trimble: I think just the mindset. Realizing that hey, you are here for a reason. You know what you can do, and you've always done what you can do, and this team needs you. Our bench, we haven't provided the most though these first ten games. Kinda just us taking a step back and realizing that has made us play with more of a spark, more fire, and has kinda helped us play our game.

Jalen Washington
Q: Tell me about your turnaround jump shot.
Washington: That's pretty much like my bread and butter. That's my go-to move. You can ask a lot of the guys. They know it's coming. I have done that move 100,000 times in practice. It's one of those things that I work on every day. If I get it off, it's going in.

Q: What was going through your head when you were at the scores table getting ready to check in?
A: A little bit of nervousness, naturally, because I haven't played, but also a lot of excitement as well.

Georgia Tech Coach Josh Pastner:
On playing UNC with a healthy Armando Bacot: "I actually told my assistant during the course of the game…I told Coach Schwartz, I said man, Virginia Tech, they had a gift by not having Bacot play that game against them on last Sunday, because he just makes a world of difference."

On adjusting for UNC's transition offense: "To try to help us with transition we sent more guys back than we usually do. That's part of the thing, I felt, you know, some of their best offense is transition offense."

Georgia Tech Player Miles Kelly:
On UNC's transition offense: "They play at a high-level speed in transition; so that's our main focus was to send a lot of guys back so we could play transition defense but credit to them they did well in the transition offense."

Hubert Davis:

Running the offense and sticking to the game plan: "It's something that we worked on the last three days of practice. Just in terms of how can we be more efficient in transition. Last year, we ran a lot of drag screens which are ball screens in transition and it really worked well for it. For whatever reason, it has not been working as well as I have wanted it to this year. We tried something the last three days of practice where are five men just sprint down the floor and post up right up in front of the basket."

On taking more efficient shots: "We have to be inside out. We can't be outside-in. We have Armando, and we have Pete so we have to use them. We have to throw the ball down low on the blocks and let them use their gifts and talents to be able not only to score, but to open up shots for our guards on the perimeter, and also get us in the penalty. We are a really good free throwing team."

On Jalen Washington: "He is really good. Defensively, he is an excellent rebounder. So now you have another guy who can guard the post, he can rebound the basketball, he also has good feet. So, I have no problem with him switching him to guards and having him guard them on the perimeter. So, now we have another big guy who is versatile defensively, but can rebound the basketball. Now we have another big guy who can score down low in the paint. The other thing you guys didn't see today was he can really shoot the ball from the outside too. His ability to stretch the floor and shoot from three is going to be great. I love coaching him. I love that he is here."

On cutting the cord from last year: "You have to cut the cord from what happened last year. You have to do that. I think in some ways we haven't done that. And I felt like today we took a step forward in doing that. You have to focus on what is real and what is real is this team and this team's preparation and how good this team can be. You have to put previous years in its proper place. I agree with Caleb, I agree it's been hard. Not just from them, but from the outside noise to cut the cord from last year. I feel like today was a step forward. I think it will be a battle throughout the entire year, but my hope is we will get better and we can focus on this year's team and how good we can become.

Getting contributions from everywhere: "I have said before, we have depth on this team. If you don't use it, you don't have depth. You know the progression Seth is making, and Puff, and then you mention Tyler. He is getting more of an opportunity because Demarco has been out. So what great benefit for us when D'Marco comes back at the end of the month and now you have another guy who can come off the bench and contribute in different ways. Towards the end of the season, playing only five guys is not sustainable for the whole year. Those guys need help. And Puff, Seth, and Tyler have been good today."

Players Mentioned

Armando Bacot

RJ Davis

Caleb Love

Seth Trimble

Jalen Washington

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