What Hubert Davis said after UNC’s win over Florida State
The North Carolina Tar Heels extended their win streak to 10 games on Saturday with a 75-68 win over Florida State. They moved to 17-3 overall and 9-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
But they had to do so in a tough way.
UNC had two double-digit leads in the game that they had to hold on to and fight off some Seminoles runs. In the first half the Seminoles rallied back and took a lead into halftime with their tough, physical play.
When UNC grabbed the lead back in the second half, they had to fight off another rally by Florida State and used a 10-0 run to get the win. The Tar Heels got it done on both the offensive and defensive end of the court, as RJ Davis, Harrison Ingram and Elliot Cadeau paced them to a victory.
UNC will now stay on the road and face off against Georgia Tech before hosting Duke a week from today. But before we get too far ahead, let’s look at what Hubert Davis had to say after this win over Florida State.
On the team getting it done on the run
“We don’t panic. There’s a calmness and a confidence about this group that’s always been there. I mean, it was pretty evident in the first half, we had 12 turnovers and they had 19 points off 12 turnovers. So you know, going into halftime saying, we need to take care of basketball, that would fix a lot. You know, Florida State shot 50% from the field in the first half, we got to play better defense in that. That’s what has allowed us to have success all year, specifically the last 10 games. And so those things needed to change. And then, you know, we took care of the basketball, we got to the free throw line. In those situations, they’re calm and confident, to be able to get the job done.”
via Inside Carolina
On UNC's inbounds struggles
“The thing that we talked about before the game is I said, ‘don’t let their pressure dictate and decide how we play and how effective we are on the offensive end.’ And I felt like their pressure dictated and decided how we executed. I felt like we didn’t make the easy play. I felt like they sped us up. So whether our drives, our cuts or whatever, we were just too fast. And as a result, we were turning the ball over. So at halftime, we just said, ‘we just got to slow down, settle down and get into our sets, execute and just run.’ I mean, we want to play with pace, but there’s a purpose and a pace. And I felt like we got back to that in the second half.”
via Inside Carolina
On the team's grit
“One of the things that we talk a lot about is living in the trenches. And, you know, I tell them in the trenches, that’s where the rebounds, the loose balls, the talking on defense, the box outs. Coming to the ball when teams are pressing, taking care of the basketball, making open shots, executing on the offensive end, just the little things that mean so many big things, especially down the stretch.
“And so that’s something from the start that we have talked about with this group with this team. We’ve been in those situations a lot this year. And we practice those situations as well. So there’s, irregardless if it comes out in a win or a loss, we feel prepared and confident in those situations to be able to do what we need to do in order to get a victory.”
via Inside Carolina
On Elliot Cadeau
“Well, I mean, his role is to be a basketball player. So I mean, today, his ability to break down a defense, and be able to score it and be able to distribute was huge for us. The way the Florida State plays defensively, their length and their athleticism, you have to have guys that can create shots. And Elliot is one of those guys. But we have a number of them on the team. I mean, obviously, RJ (Davis), Harrison (Ingram), Cormac (Ryan), Seth (Trimble). So having multiple playmakers out there on the floor is huge for us.”
via Inside Carolina
On RJ Davis delivering in the clutch
“I’ve seen every college game, but I would say there’s nobody playing better than him in the country. Just in terms of his play, his leadership. Especially in late game, all the time, late game situations, you put the ball in his hand, and previously the teams have double team them. So, you know, try to get the ball in his hands, let’s bring them off, let somebody else create and get it to him. And then just give it back to him. His ability to be able to create, and be able to make that shot, whether he made it or missed. Having the ball in his hands is exactly where I feel comfortable as a coach on the sideline.”
via Inside Carolina
