CHAPEL HILL - UNC basketball coach Roy Williams met with the media following Wednesday's 96-72 victory over Tulane. Here is what the coach had to say:
Opening statement
Well, we were active defensively and got some turnovers early in the game, which I thought really helped us. You look at points off turnovers, almost all of them were in the first half. Second half, we didn't scramble nearly as much, we wet to the free throw line and missed some and we're better at it when we make the second shot on the free throw and get into our scramble. Brice was good offensively, he did some good things for us. You have six guys in double figures and four setting career highs in assists, so 30 assists on 36 baskets is pretty good basketball, you like that part. No question I didn't like the fact they shot 56% in the second half, but we were able to do okay. It got down to 12 or 13 or 14... but then we made some shots and it was fun watching us offensively after we did get a couple of stops, and the way we shared the ball and found open 3-pointers or guys inside. I was frustrated with Luke, but the last time he was in there I thought really did some good things. We've seen some of that really good play in practice and since Kennedy's out we need another guy to be able to step up. I thought Joel (James) did some good things. Isiah did some good things, and we need all three of those guys - Luke, Joel, and Isiah - to be able to step up while Kennedy is out. they made some shots during the first half and got them to miss a bunch of them except half court as the end at the buzzer.
On what was the difference when Joel James was in the Game and when Isaiah Hicks was in
Not a lot. I knew I was gonna start Joel because he’s a senior, he’s deserved it, he’s done some good things. I didn’t even look, I probably felt like, that Isaiah made and played more minutes, even though Joel started; it was 19 to 18 minutes. Isaiah does a better job guarding the screen on the ball because he’s quicker. But, Joel was a force in there defensively, clogging the lane up and making a couple of really big time blocks.
On having Isaiah and Joel James on the court at the same time
We’ve done that a lot. Do it everyday in practice too. The only change is on two occasions we went small, one of the very very end, not the walk on group, but before that we had Justin and Theo as the 3 and 4. But we did also have them as 3 / 4 early in the game in the 1st half we went small and that helped us a little bit because they went small.
On is this the kind of game you can try different combinations
Well first of all, I wanted to make sure we would win. No question you’re trying some things and seeing how it looks out there on the court as opposed to on the court during practice because there’s a little more stress, a little more pressure. But I think Luke Maye is really gonna be a good player. You look at his stat line and it’s not that impressive. But I really think Luke Maye’s gonna be a really good player for us and surprise a lot of people. He’s gotta get a little more confident, work a little harder and I think if he does that, he’s got a knack for coming up with the basketball on the boards.
On Brice taking the loss at Texas very hard because of his foul issues. What have you seen from in recent days about his attitude.
I think he was Brice. I don’t think it changed. Kids now days, they take it hard in the locker room and on the plane they’re always joking around and playing games and stuff. It was like somebody reached in and took my freakin heart out. Brice is Brice and you gotta understand that, but 25 points and 10 rebounds, I like that. But he’s gotta play better defensively and he knows it. I think for awhile there tonight, he was really a man there on the backboards. He got several offensive rebounds there in a crowd and we need him to do that.
On how you go about helping him (Brice) eliminate fouls
Guys, you just gotta play hard all the time. Marcus’ first foul today was because Brice wasn’t where he was supposed to be. And then Marcus got his second foul in the 1st half. So what did we have to do in the last 3 minutes of the 1st half, we had to take Marcus out. Brice wants to be it, he’s gotta want it more, he’s gotta be more active and more effective. He’s getting frustrated with himself and I like that. I want them to care. I want them to be ticked off. If you don’t play well, I want it to hurt you.
Opening statement
Well, we were active defensively and got some turnovers early in the game, which I thought really helped us. You look at points off turnovers, almost all of them were in the first half. Second half, we didn't scramble nearly as much, we wet to the free throw line and missed some and we're better at it when we make the second shot on the free throw and get into our scramble. Brice was good offensively, he did some good things for us. You have six guys in double figures and four setting career highs in assists, so 30 assists on 36 baskets is pretty good basketball, you like that part. No question I didn't like the fact they shot 56% in the second half, but we were able to do okay. It got down to 12 or 13 or 14... but then we made some shots and it was fun watching us offensively after we did get a couple of stops, and the way we shared the ball and found open 3-pointers or guys inside. I was frustrated with Luke, but the last time he was in there I thought really did some good things. We've seen some of that really good play in practice and since Kennedy's out we need another guy to be able to step up. I thought Joel (James) did some good things. Isiah did some good things, and we need all three of those guys - Luke, Joel, and Isiah - to be able to step up while Kennedy is out. they made some shots during the first half and got them to miss a bunch of them except half court as the end at the buzzer.
On what was the difference when Joel James was in the Game and when Isaiah Hicks was in
Not a lot. I knew I was gonna start Joel because he’s a senior, he’s deserved it, he’s done some good things. I didn’t even look, I probably felt like, that Isaiah made and played more minutes, even though Joel started; it was 19 to 18 minutes. Isaiah does a better job guarding the screen on the ball because he’s quicker. But, Joel was a force in there defensively, clogging the lane up and making a couple of really big time blocks.
On having Isaiah and Joel James on the court at the same time
We’ve done that a lot. Do it everyday in practice too. The only change is on two occasions we went small, one of the very very end, not the walk on group, but before that we had Justin and Theo as the 3 and 4. But we did also have them as 3 / 4 early in the game in the 1st half we went small and that helped us a little bit because they went small.
On is this the kind of game you can try different combinations
Well first of all, I wanted to make sure we would win. No question you’re trying some things and seeing how it looks out there on the court as opposed to on the court during practice because there’s a little more stress, a little more pressure. But I think Luke Maye is really gonna be a good player. You look at his stat line and it’s not that impressive. But I really think Luke Maye’s gonna be a really good player for us and surprise a lot of people. He’s gotta get a little more confident, work a little harder and I think if he does that, he’s got a knack for coming up with the basketball on the boards.
On Brice taking the loss at Texas very hard because of his foul issues. What have you seen from in recent days about his attitude.
I think he was Brice. I don’t think it changed. Kids now days, they take it hard in the locker room and on the plane they’re always joking around and playing games and stuff. It was like somebody reached in and took my freakin heart out. Brice is Brice and you gotta understand that, but 25 points and 10 rebounds, I like that. But he’s gotta play better defensively and he knows it. I think for awhile there tonight, he was really a man there on the backboards. He got several offensive rebounds there in a crowd and we need him to do that.
On how you go about helping him (Brice) eliminate fouls
Guys, you just gotta play hard all the time. Marcus’ first foul today was because Brice wasn’t where he was supposed to be. And then Marcus got his second foul in the 1st half. So what did we have to do in the last 3 minutes of the 1st half, we had to take Marcus out. Brice wants to be it, he’s gotta want it more, he’s gotta be more active and more effective. He’s getting frustrated with himself and I like that. I want them to care. I want them to be ticked off. If you don’t play well, I want it to hurt you.
