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University of North Carolina Athletics
Hubert Davis
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
UNC-Duke Postgame Quotes
March 8, 2025 | Men's Basketball
03/08/2025
NORTH CAROLINA 69, DUKE 82
DEAN E. SMITH CENTER
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer
On treating today like a playoff game…
"Obviously we understood the value of this game for both teams. We didn't want to be the hunted. You know, sometimes when you talk about too much what a team is trying to do, you become the hunted. And the thing we have done a great job of is being the hunters, and we have to continue to do that when here on out, if you lose, it's end of season time."
On the win…
"I'm as proud of this win as any because we knew Carolina, how they'd come out, ready to fight and compete. I thought they played at a really high level, and to be able to withstand that and then get back to our identity of playing defense down the stretch…I think that's really the story."
On the energy at the end of the first half…
"I thought it was incredible to go through. And I even said that at halftime to our team. That was the first thing I said, was 'This is great.' You know, I've been taught very early on in my playing career here. We're always preaching inflection points in the game and the half is one of them. I know that's the first time I've ever been positive after a half."
UNC Head Coach Hubert Davis
On things to control…
"You really only have control over two things: how you react and how you respond. I've been proud of how this team has reacted and responded all year, specifically over the last month, with them staying connected and staying the course. I don't think that's going to change at all. We'll regroup and be ready to go."
On pressuring the ball…
"I felt like we did a really good job on whomever had the ball. I felt like we were in their space and making it tough on them to connect the dots in regards to how they're trying to execute on the offensive end. I think that helped us and resulted in us turning them over 14 times today."
On the motivation heading to Charlotte…
"The motivation is always there. If you don't have the motivation for having the opportunity to compete, you shouldn't be playing. The opportunity to play in the ACC tournament is a great opportunity and we're excited about the challenge of going up to Charlotte and competing and doing the best that we can."
On how he views the ACC tournament…
"I think it's most important to focus on what's real. What is real is the game in front of you and we play on Wednesday and our job and our responsibility is whomever we play, to be prepared to play our best game on Wednesday and if we play well enough, we get to play on Thursday and our preparation would shift to that. You can control what you can control and what we can control is our play and our preparation for next week on Wednesday in the ACC tournament."
Ven-Allen Lubin
On Mentality going into Charlotte…
"Continue to stay together, to continue to fight. We showed some toughness tonight, some physicality in order. It just shows on a defensive end where we get some stops, that we can go out and run, that we get whatever we want.. and I think that's something that we want to take over to Charlotte…we're just keeping the mentality of one game at a time, you know, just focusing on what's the next point in front of us, and just take it from there."
On the team's progress this season…
"This season has been, you know, a roller coaster. We've been through some ups and downs, but it just shows the way we persevere and we stick together. And, you know, just figured it out. I think we definitely have high hopes and beliefs in each other [and] just continue to have that trust and faith in this team, [just] take one day at a time, keep working at it, keep staying together and keep building…I think that we showed a lot of toughness on both ends of the floor, we didn't let their size intimidate us, we try to get what we want. And on the defensive end, we showed that we could be the tougher team too. And just to know that we can show that type of physicality, that type of toughness, and the type of energy plays that we make on both ends of the floor...it just shows that we continue to grow and build from where we were before."
On post-game conversations with Hubert Davis…
"He was just extremely proud of us and the way we fought, you know, that the way we just stuck together and just continued to fight. Because we've been through a lot this year, and he always had beliefs in this team and never wavered at all. You know, that's just the great part about him as our coach. He always has strong beliefs in us, and he showed love to us every single day. And just to know that, we gotta keep our heads up. No, the season [isn't] over. We definitely have another opportunity in Charlotte just to get us going too."
Drake Powell
On how the game turned…
"I just thought that shots didn't fall. I think the right players took the right shots at the right time. We generated good looks, they just didn't fall."
On what was said in the locker room at half time…
"Just keep going, that we weren't done yet. The job wasn't finished and we just wanted to continue, keep applying pressure as a main thing."
On what they need to do moving forward…
"Just continue to stay together. That's the biggest thing, and you know, going into the ACC tournament, we're zero and zero. So, whatever happened in the past, that doesn't matter."
Ian Jackson
On how tonight's loss feels…
"Losing games is always rough, but I feel like tonight, we put out a great effort, we just came up short."
On how the team feels going into a big week…
"I think we feel great. Like he (Drake Powell) said, 0-0 and it's a chance for a new start and I think as a team, we're not worried about the spot that we were in the beginning of the season and we showed that a little bit tonight, and we're going to continue to grow and get better as the tournament goes on."
On how he feels for RJ after this loss…
"I'm sad we couldn't get the win for tonight, but it's been amazing being able to be a part of his journey and watch everything he's done. From the first day of practice to now, just how much of a professional he is. So, it's been amazing. I'm mad we couldn't get it done for him."
RJ Davis
On losing in double digits despite fighting hard…
I think that's just the game of basketball right there. I mean, I think we did a good job of kind of just battling throughout the whole game, and it just wasn't enough in the second half. I think they got a lot of transition buckets, left some guys open threes, and we just couldn't convert when needed on the offensive end.
On senior night…
I mean, hit me this morning, like when I woke up, like, like, this is the last time I'll be playing on this floor, and then just watching, just like the senior video kind of just hit home a little bit. And then, you know, running out the tunnel right before we did, the honoring of the seniors, the senior boys just talked for a little bit, so it was like a full circle moment, because HD, you know, he was my first coach here when I was a freshman, and then HD recruited me here, and he's now the head coach here, so it was kind of the full circle moment, right there.
On mindset….
I have faith in this team. So, I mean, we're not gonna hold our heads down going into the tournament. It's more about putting our head up high and moving with positivity. – we're a different team than we were. You know, a month ago, I think the way we compete, the way we battle, the way we play defense and share the basketball is way different than the team you saw earlier in February. So that's just who we are. I mean, obviously it took a little bit of while to get to that point, but I mean, that just shows you the type of team that we're capable of.
NORTH CAROLINA 69, DUKE 82
DEAN E. SMITH CENTER
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer
On treating today like a playoff game…
"Obviously we understood the value of this game for both teams. We didn't want to be the hunted. You know, sometimes when you talk about too much what a team is trying to do, you become the hunted. And the thing we have done a great job of is being the hunters, and we have to continue to do that when here on out, if you lose, it's end of season time."
On the win…
"I'm as proud of this win as any because we knew Carolina, how they'd come out, ready to fight and compete. I thought they played at a really high level, and to be able to withstand that and then get back to our identity of playing defense down the stretch…I think that's really the story."
On the energy at the end of the first half…
"I thought it was incredible to go through. And I even said that at halftime to our team. That was the first thing I said, was 'This is great.' You know, I've been taught very early on in my playing career here. We're always preaching inflection points in the game and the half is one of them. I know that's the first time I've ever been positive after a half."
UNC Head Coach Hubert Davis
On things to control…
"You really only have control over two things: how you react and how you respond. I've been proud of how this team has reacted and responded all year, specifically over the last month, with them staying connected and staying the course. I don't think that's going to change at all. We'll regroup and be ready to go."
On pressuring the ball…
"I felt like we did a really good job on whomever had the ball. I felt like we were in their space and making it tough on them to connect the dots in regards to how they're trying to execute on the offensive end. I think that helped us and resulted in us turning them over 14 times today."
On the motivation heading to Charlotte…
"The motivation is always there. If you don't have the motivation for having the opportunity to compete, you shouldn't be playing. The opportunity to play in the ACC tournament is a great opportunity and we're excited about the challenge of going up to Charlotte and competing and doing the best that we can."
On how he views the ACC tournament…
"I think it's most important to focus on what's real. What is real is the game in front of you and we play on Wednesday and our job and our responsibility is whomever we play, to be prepared to play our best game on Wednesday and if we play well enough, we get to play on Thursday and our preparation would shift to that. You can control what you can control and what we can control is our play and our preparation for next week on Wednesday in the ACC tournament."
Ven-Allen Lubin
On Mentality going into Charlotte…
"Continue to stay together, to continue to fight. We showed some toughness tonight, some physicality in order. It just shows on a defensive end where we get some stops, that we can go out and run, that we get whatever we want.. and I think that's something that we want to take over to Charlotte…we're just keeping the mentality of one game at a time, you know, just focusing on what's the next point in front of us, and just take it from there."
On the team's progress this season…
"This season has been, you know, a roller coaster. We've been through some ups and downs, but it just shows the way we persevere and we stick together. And, you know, just figured it out. I think we definitely have high hopes and beliefs in each other [and] just continue to have that trust and faith in this team, [just] take one day at a time, keep working at it, keep staying together and keep building…I think that we showed a lot of toughness on both ends of the floor, we didn't let their size intimidate us, we try to get what we want. And on the defensive end, we showed that we could be the tougher team too. And just to know that we can show that type of physicality, that type of toughness, and the type of energy plays that we make on both ends of the floor...it just shows that we continue to grow and build from where we were before."
On post-game conversations with Hubert Davis…
"He was just extremely proud of us and the way we fought, you know, that the way we just stuck together and just continued to fight. Because we've been through a lot this year, and he always had beliefs in this team and never wavered at all. You know, that's just the great part about him as our coach. He always has strong beliefs in us, and he showed love to us every single day. And just to know that, we gotta keep our heads up. No, the season [isn't] over. We definitely have another opportunity in Charlotte just to get us going too."
Drake Powell
On how the game turned…
"I just thought that shots didn't fall. I think the right players took the right shots at the right time. We generated good looks, they just didn't fall."
On what was said in the locker room at half time…
"Just keep going, that we weren't done yet. The job wasn't finished and we just wanted to continue, keep applying pressure as a main thing."
On what they need to do moving forward…
"Just continue to stay together. That's the biggest thing, and you know, going into the ACC tournament, we're zero and zero. So, whatever happened in the past, that doesn't matter."
Ian Jackson
On how tonight's loss feels…
"Losing games is always rough, but I feel like tonight, we put out a great effort, we just came up short."
On how the team feels going into a big week…
"I think we feel great. Like he (Drake Powell) said, 0-0 and it's a chance for a new start and I think as a team, we're not worried about the spot that we were in the beginning of the season and we showed that a little bit tonight, and we're going to continue to grow and get better as the tournament goes on."
On how he feels for RJ after this loss…
"I'm sad we couldn't get the win for tonight, but it's been amazing being able to be a part of his journey and watch everything he's done. From the first day of practice to now, just how much of a professional he is. So, it's been amazing. I'm mad we couldn't get it done for him."
RJ Davis
On losing in double digits despite fighting hard…
I think that's just the game of basketball right there. I mean, I think we did a good job of kind of just battling throughout the whole game, and it just wasn't enough in the second half. I think they got a lot of transition buckets, left some guys open threes, and we just couldn't convert when needed on the offensive end.
On senior night…
I mean, hit me this morning, like when I woke up, like, like, this is the last time I'll be playing on this floor, and then just watching, just like the senior video kind of just hit home a little bit. And then, you know, running out the tunnel right before we did, the honoring of the seniors, the senior boys just talked for a little bit, so it was like a full circle moment, because HD, you know, he was my first coach here when I was a freshman, and then HD recruited me here, and he's now the head coach here, so it was kind of the full circle moment, right there.
On mindset….
I have faith in this team. So, I mean, we're not gonna hold our heads down going into the tournament. It's more about putting our head up high and moving with positivity. – we're a different team than we were. You know, a month ago, I think the way we compete, the way we battle, the way we play defense and share the basketball is way different than the team you saw earlier in February. So that's just who we are. I mean, obviously it took a little bit of while to get to that point, but I mean, that just shows you the type of team that we're capable of.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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