UNC-Duke Postgame Quotes

Press Conference Transcription vs Duke
March 4, 2023
Chapel Hill, N.C.
North Carolina: 57, Duke: 62

UNC Head Coach Hubert Davis:
On the final UNC offensive possession
"We called a play that gave us an option for two looks to attack the basket and two looks on both sides to get a three. I felt like they (Duke) defended it really well and we just didn't get a clean look off of that shot."

On if this game had similarities to the first meeting against Duke this season
"I felt like it was very similar to a number of our games. In the second half we took the four-point lead and it has been a consistent theme all year where in that time where it is a great opportunity to extend it, there has been a lot of times this year where we haven't been able to do it. We take the four-point lead and give Mark Mitchell a drive to his left for a layup. Then, the next possession we give a lob to (Dereck) Lively and he rolls every time off of a ball screen. I wouldn't say it was consistent with the first game in Durham but more consistent with the close losses we have suffered this year."

On the team's confidence shooting
"I thought we had wide open looks from three that we didn't make but more importantly I thought we had layups that we missed. We missed a lot of shots around the basket. In the first half, Pete (Nance) missed a layup, Caleb (Love) missed a dunk and we only got one point from it, and Armando (Bacot) missed a layup. I felt like we had opportunities around the rim to be able to convert and we just weren't able to do it."

On the team's depth heading into the ACC Tournament
"I am not adopting the narrative that we need to win four games. My focus is on Wednesday. I think it is important to focus on what is real and ahead of us. That is a game at 7 o'clock on Wednesday and that is where my focus is. I feel good about our team. I told them in the locker room that even though I was very sad, that I wasn't done at all in terms of my confidence in what kind of team that this could become. My confidence in this team is not going to waver at all."

Pete Nance:
On the final play
"It was a play we usually run. I think they did a good job of blowing it up a little bit with the hand-off between Caleb and R.J. But, that happens, so credit to them for playing good defense."

On trouble scoring against Duke this year
"I think we usually live in the paint. I think we didn't attack the paint like we usually do every game. They got (Dereck) Lively who is a really good rim protector. I don't even know how many blocks he had tonight. Yeah, he was in foul trouble, but I don't know. Sometimes, like I said before, the ball doesn't go in, and we had a hard time scoring tonight for sure.

On this game's effect on NCAA Tournament hopes
" I think that was a really big one for us. Just like Coach Davis said, we can't stop playing. Obviously we need to have a really good week next week, probably gotta get four. We gotta just, we can't keep our heads down. As upsetting as it is, we gotta stay together and keep playing.

Puff Johnson:
On the mood in the locker room postgame:
"Yeah, as competitors we just don't want to lose. I mean, we just don't like the feeling of losing. And, it hurts as a team. Especially when you go out there and try so hard."

Q: "Is the mindset now just gotta win next week? Is that just kinda what the focus shifts to?"
"Yeah, I mean, that's every game. Our focus is we gotta win and no different next week in the ACC Tournament."

On the team's cold stretch in the last four minutes:
"Yeah, good looks and we just didn't capitalize. But, yeah, some games you won't make the good looks and it's just a tough thing to swallow."

RJ Davis:
Q: "How do you get the spirits back up to kind of get ready for a postseason tournament?"
"It's definitely low right now just because of the type of game it was. It was, senior night against our rival so it's definitely…something that we're taking in right now. The best way to look at it is we got Tuesday, I think we play Wednesday, whatever next week it is. But, we gotta just go into that ACC Tournament with a clear mindset, 0-0 for us record wise. And, you know just play ball, play together."

On the team's scoring droughts late against Duke this season:
"We made plays. I don't think we just made the enough plays the last four minutes like you said. We had good looks, shots were not falling, we attacked the offensive glass, kind of sometimes the ball just didn't bounce our way. But the effort was there, sometimes you know we don't make enough plays to win the game."

On the offensive play coming out of the timeout with 43 seconds remaining:
"So it was like an elevator screen door for me to get the ball, then pass it to Leaky, then Leaky had the option to dribble baseline either for himself and then Caleb had a back screen on the corner opposite side where I was coming off a lateral screen from Pete so they kind of defended that switch there a little bit. Kind of, we just started to freestyle at the end. I backdoored Roach, just wasn't able to convert at the rim."

Armando Bacot
Q: How are you preparing for the ACC tournament?
"The ACC Tournament is definitely huge for us. We're just going in there with the mindset of we have to win. It's all we can do."

Q: "What was said after the game?"
"Nothing really, just be ready for the tournament."

Q: On potentially having to win the ACC Tournament:
"I mean, that was our goal anyway, even if we weren't in this position, is to win the ACC tournament."

Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer

Opening Statement:
Coach Scheyer: "Well, obviously that was a big win for our team. We felt like we were going to see their best shots now even with what they've gone through and we knew they were going to be ready to play. I thought we matched their physicality to start and really just made some of our payers make big-time winning plays down the stretch…"

*On confidence going into the ACC tournament*
Coach Scheyer: "Regardless of the double-bye or not, of course, we want the double bye and that's great. I think it's more important what we've done as a team to your point and sticking together… We've played some really good teams and I am proud of what we have done. Our defense have been in the top 10 in the country in the month of February. We've been as consistent as anybody in the country down the stretch. And we've been through this enough, at least I have just being on staff here, where no matter how you end the year, the post season is different…the belief is there for us, and that's as important as anything."

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Armando Bacot

RJ Davis

Puff Johnson

Pete Nance

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