Q. Either one of the guys: How big was it to come out and start the second half the first five minutes and kind of jump on them and establish dominance in the second half?
ISAIAH HICKS: It was very big, because we was highly disappointed in the way we played the first half. You know, we take pride in our -- we supposed to take pride in the defense. It didn't work out that way. Coming out the first half, Marcus had a big shot and that fueled us. After that intensity was picked up. That's a great feeling. We got there in transition, do the stuff we do. It was good.
Q. This question is for Brice: Seemed like after every block, after every and-one, you seemed to get meaner and meaner. What was your mindset like during this game?
BRICE JOHNSON: We started the game off very flat. Very disappointed in the way we played. That's what I do. Usually after I get a play like that, the momentum was swinging. The first and-one I got, I had to let it go. I had to let a yell out. Coach knows that's what I do. It's second nature to me now.
Q. For either one of you guys, what was the mood like in the locker room at halftime? What was said there?
BRICE JOHNSON: The mood was very, very disappointing. I mean, it was -- we're very disappointed with the way we played. You allow a team like that to shoot 60% in the first half, you can't help but be mad about that. It's just an all-around frustrating game. Guys had their head down. It was a bad scene. We had to get the bad taste out of our mouth and be ready to play. We're fortunate to only be up one, and could have been a lot more the way the game was going.
Q. Both players, as a follow-up to that, what was your coach's mood at halftime and what did he have to say?
ISAIAH HICKS: I mean, it was very upset and disappointing. We showed what we can do especially in the ACC Tournament. Coming from that big win, he expected us to come from -- to play like that from the start. You know, and just for us to come out flat, you know, really playing not to our level, playing the way we showed we can play is very disappointing. I know it had to be frustrating for him.
BRICE JOHNSON: Yeah. I mean, he definitely was upset. He was probably turning pink more than any time I had ever seen him. It was disappointing all around. I mean, all of the coaches were upset and he was very flustered about it. Even Coach Davis, Coach Davis didn't even say anything to us at halftime because he was so mad.
The mood was very disappointed. Like Isaiah said after the way we played great defense in the ACC Tournament. They all expected us to come out and be ready to play. That's what we didn't do. They had every right to be pissed off about it.
Q. Isaiah, towards the end of the season in the tournaments you've really come around sort of growing your game the last few games. Just talk about what kind of groove you're in right now?
ISAIAH HICKS: I mean, I keep my mindset the same. Be aggressive, do anything I can to help the team out. Coach always told me, you know, just come out there, be aggressive, attack, and it worked. So just keep doing it and it works. That's it.
Q. For either one: You guys never seem to have gotten comfortable despite everything an 18-20 point lead. At what point did you guys know you had the game?
BRICE JOHNSON: Just from the beginning of the second half. We started out the second half on what was the run?
ROY WILLIAMS: 25-6.
BRICE JOHNSON: 25-6. I think after that point we basically knew we had the game. At the end of the day you are kind of mad the way you played in the first half. You're not going to forget that. Even though you're up 20, I'm still not satisfied the way we play. Even though we won by 20, we could have played a lot better and won by a lot more than we did.
Q. Brice, you seemed to have a little frustration out there toward Kennedy, if I was seeing that the right way.
BRICE JOHNSON: There were a couple plays where he just didn't jump. He was right there under the basket, all he had to do was jump a little bit. It's kind of frustrating, because you want to be able to make those easy ones like that. I know he's kind of frustrated but at the end of the day you got to be able to convert those. Those do add up throughout the course of the game. I know I missed a couple myself, but in close moments like that. You have the ball in your hands, that close to the basket, you got to be able to convert those.
Q. This is for Isaiah: I know you guys don't pay attention to the crowds or anything like that, but FGCU fans were pretty loud. The team was feeding off their energy. How rewarding for you guys in the second half to hear your crowd behind you guys and hear the "Tar Heels" chant late in the second half when you guys were taking over?
ISAIAH HICKS: It was very good. Our advantage was playing close to home. It was like a home game. Marcus hit that three, you heard the whole gym. You know, the crowd, they got into it. It just helps with our momentum to bring us energy and stuff like that.
ISAIAH HICKS: It was very big, because we was highly disappointed in the way we played the first half. You know, we take pride in our -- we supposed to take pride in the defense. It didn't work out that way. Coming out the first half, Marcus had a big shot and that fueled us. After that intensity was picked up. That's a great feeling. We got there in transition, do the stuff we do. It was good.
Q. This question is for Brice: Seemed like after every block, after every and-one, you seemed to get meaner and meaner. What was your mindset like during this game?
BRICE JOHNSON: We started the game off very flat. Very disappointed in the way we played. That's what I do. Usually after I get a play like that, the momentum was swinging. The first and-one I got, I had to let it go. I had to let a yell out. Coach knows that's what I do. It's second nature to me now.
Q. For either one of you guys, what was the mood like in the locker room at halftime? What was said there?
BRICE JOHNSON: The mood was very, very disappointing. I mean, it was -- we're very disappointed with the way we played. You allow a team like that to shoot 60% in the first half, you can't help but be mad about that. It's just an all-around frustrating game. Guys had their head down. It was a bad scene. We had to get the bad taste out of our mouth and be ready to play. We're fortunate to only be up one, and could have been a lot more the way the game was going.
Q. Both players, as a follow-up to that, what was your coach's mood at halftime and what did he have to say?
ISAIAH HICKS: I mean, it was very upset and disappointing. We showed what we can do especially in the ACC Tournament. Coming from that big win, he expected us to come from -- to play like that from the start. You know, and just for us to come out flat, you know, really playing not to our level, playing the way we showed we can play is very disappointing. I know it had to be frustrating for him.
BRICE JOHNSON: Yeah. I mean, he definitely was upset. He was probably turning pink more than any time I had ever seen him. It was disappointing all around. I mean, all of the coaches were upset and he was very flustered about it. Even Coach Davis, Coach Davis didn't even say anything to us at halftime because he was so mad.
The mood was very disappointed. Like Isaiah said after the way we played great defense in the ACC Tournament. They all expected us to come out and be ready to play. That's what we didn't do. They had every right to be pissed off about it.
Q. Isaiah, towards the end of the season in the tournaments you've really come around sort of growing your game the last few games. Just talk about what kind of groove you're in right now?
ISAIAH HICKS: I mean, I keep my mindset the same. Be aggressive, do anything I can to help the team out. Coach always told me, you know, just come out there, be aggressive, attack, and it worked. So just keep doing it and it works. That's it.
Q. For either one: You guys never seem to have gotten comfortable despite everything an 18-20 point lead. At what point did you guys know you had the game?
BRICE JOHNSON: Just from the beginning of the second half. We started out the second half on what was the run?
ROY WILLIAMS: 25-6.
BRICE JOHNSON: 25-6. I think after that point we basically knew we had the game. At the end of the day you are kind of mad the way you played in the first half. You're not going to forget that. Even though you're up 20, I'm still not satisfied the way we play. Even though we won by 20, we could have played a lot better and won by a lot more than we did.
Q. Brice, you seemed to have a little frustration out there toward Kennedy, if I was seeing that the right way.
BRICE JOHNSON: There were a couple plays where he just didn't jump. He was right there under the basket, all he had to do was jump a little bit. It's kind of frustrating, because you want to be able to make those easy ones like that. I know he's kind of frustrated but at the end of the day you got to be able to convert those. Those do add up throughout the course of the game. I know I missed a couple myself, but in close moments like that. You have the ball in your hands, that close to the basket, you got to be able to convert those.
Q. This is for Isaiah: I know you guys don't pay attention to the crowds or anything like that, but FGCU fans were pretty loud. The team was feeding off their energy. How rewarding for you guys in the second half to hear your crowd behind you guys and hear the "Tar Heels" chant late in the second half when you guys were taking over?
ISAIAH HICKS: It was very good. Our advantage was playing close to home. It was like a home game. Marcus hit that three, you heard the whole gym. You know, the crowd, they got into it. It just helps with our momentum to bring us energy and stuff like that.
