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University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC-Duke Quotes
March 5, 2011 | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2011
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North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams Opening Statement:
"Well needless to say it was a fantastic day for us. We shot 52% and out-rebounded them 42-35 and had some crucial baskets when they got it down inside double digits a couple times. [Duke seniors] Nolan Smith and Seth Curry--they're a load, and it was big for us that they missed some shots that they make a lot of times. I was pleased overall with about everything we did, and I have no complaints about my guys. One of my buddies said I got a lot smarter over the past couple weeks, and I don't know that I got smarter but my team got a lot better. In November, I said I thought it was going to be a team that got better and better as the season went along. We've got two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior that's never played a full season. We're down to eight scholarship guys but those eight have big time hearts, and then I just love what [seniors D.J. Johnston, Daniel Bolick, and Van Hatchell] did in there during their couple of minutes. The crowd was sensational and it was a wonderful day to be a Tar Heel."
On Last Year:
"I told them that the last 10 months haven't been very easy a lot of times, but that crowd in the locker room has been fantastic. You go back to last May when two kids leave and then we dismiss one kid and then some other kid leaves, but the whole program is bigger than any individual and those kids have bought into that. It's been a marvelous run but I told them I'm still hungry and want a little bit more too."
On First Contest in Durham:
"I did mention it one time at half. They're going to come out and try to show more intensity and focus like they did in Durham, and we cannot allow that to happen. They came out and scored the first seven points of the second half and then [Barnes] scores on a drive and we get a couple of free throws and catch our breath. After that, every time they'd make a basket we'd make a basket, and we answered every charge they had."
On Overall Game:
"It was just one of those games where things worked for us, and let's be honest, Duke missed some shots they don't normally miss."
On Kendall Marshall:
"That's a lot of pressure for a young man to go from 19 minutes a game to 36 minutes, but he relished it. Everybody supported him and everybody loved the way he stepped up and loves to play with him. He's the kind of point guard who does make people better because he gets them the ball where they can shoot and score. From the shoulders up, it's hard to imagine anyone can think it better than he can."
On Offensive Mentality:
"We have to attack, and that was our biggest emphasis going into the game. If you attack the basket, you may get some layups, you may get some dump-offs, you may get some pitch backs for three."
Duke Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
Opening statement:
"I thought it was a great basketball game. I thought Carolina played really well, especially in the first half. They shot the ball really well and knocked down a lot of shots. When they are leading 51-39 at halftime--that is a score that can only mean a Carolina victory. I thought we didn't do a good enough job defending them in the first half. But this is not about us playing poorly, this is about Carolina playing really well on their senior night. And you have to congratulate them, they played a really good game. I congratulate them. They have a really good team and a good group of kids."
On preparation for the upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament:
"Look, when we get on the bus, [our record is] 0-0. We have to prepare for the next part of our season . . . This was a big game, but the upcoming games are the biggest games. The games we will play in the next few weeks are the biggest and most important games."
On confidence of team:
"I don't think confidence is an issue, we have confidence. Just because you miss some shots does not mean you're not confident. And I am confident in Kyle [Singler]. He hasn't shot very well over the past month but I am still very confident in him. He's a senior on our team and he has won 120 games; he's a National Champion."
On how Duke can improve:
"I think we could have done a better job hitting shots. We need to shoot better than 6-27 from the 3. And a lot of the ones we missed were open looks. I'm not saying that if we had made a few more that we would have won the game. I'm saying that we should have made a few more open looks. In order for us to win, we have to hit 3s because [Carolina] is so good on the inside."
UNC Players
Harrison Barnes:
Did you guys come ready to play?
"We knew the conference title was on the line so we came ready to play."
On team's inconsistent play:
"You know I had a theory that [if you] just keep working and everything will fall into place and it happened today. We won ACC's."
Kendall Marshall:
Team's growth this season:
"I think we've come a long way since Puerto Rico and I still think we have a long way we can go. Our potential is through the roof. We've matured mentally going through the losses that this team has had; not so much games, but as far as players since last year. It shows our true characters."
Post-game feeling:
"I just wanted to take it all in. We have the greatest fans in the country and to be able to see the smiles on their face - how happy they were for us - that just made me feel good. And they're the reason we go out there and play harder."
John Henson:
On offensive efficiency:
"We were feeling it. Coach (Roy Williams) always said, `You know, one day it's going to come together and it's going to get ugly in there,' and that's what happened. And it came together first half. Harrison (Barnes) hit some shots, and Kendall (Marshall) with Leslie (McDonald) and I think that was, you know, kind of what put us ahead."
Has the team reached its peak?
"You want to peak at a time when it really matters and that's what we're doing. So hopefully we can keep it up. You know we can't get satisfied; we've got to keep it up. "
Tyler Zeller:
Is UNC better than Duke?
"Tonight, on this night, we were and it's the night that matters."
