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University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC-Elon Quotes
December 29, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2011
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UNC Head Coach Roy Williams
Opening Statement:
"I thought that in the first half that we were really good, except for making shots. I think we were 18 of 35 inside the three-second lane, and you've got to make a better percentage than that. We were three for nine on threes, and I thought that eight of the nine were really good shots. They just didn't go down. So we didn't shoot it very well, but I thought we were really good, defensively. We were attentive. We were really good on the backboards. The second half, you know, it's like it happens most of the time, We weren't quite as effective as we were in the first half. You've got to give Elon credit for continuing to play and doing some nice things. In the second half, they shot 46 percent, so we didn't do as good of a job guarding them as we did in the first half. And they made some shots too. At halftime, they were two for 15 from the three-point line. They shoot 36 or 37 percent for the year from the three-point line, so we know they are better shooters than that.
"I was happy for Harrison [Barnes], particularly, with 18 points and five assists, zero turnovers. In the first half he had four assists and zero turnovers. I think that makes our team a lot more effective. He was sick last night. He was throwing up, so we didn't know exactly what we were going to get. I do like the fact that Dexter [Strickland] played 25 [minutes] and we only had three other guys to play over 20: Harrison, 20; [Tyler] Z[eller], 22 and Kendall [Marshall], 22. So I like that balance. We got some guys some time, but our goal was to get a heck of a lot better, and I do think we made some significant steps tonight."
On how the team is managing the holiday break:
"The whole plan was to get better everywhere, not just on the defensive end. Our defensive stats looked pretty good. When we brought them back, we had eight practices and three games before the next time we have to go to class. So that means we are a basketball team now let's focus on basketball. I think we got better in practice, and I think we got better in the first half tonight. I think it's good for us to get a chance to play. You don't want to practice for 11 straight days or anything like that. But we gave them a huge break. We gave our guys five days off for Christmas."
On the transition game:
"I liked the unselfishness on the break. John [Henson] was getting out and running. Z was getting out and running. Kendall can find them. Kendall was something: eight assists and one turnover. I agree that he didn't call bank on one of those threes, but eight assists and one turnover, and on the one turnover, John would have had an open layup."
