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Several Tar Heels met with the media in their locker room following UNC’s 71-64 defeat to Ole Miss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday in Milwaukee. This is a lightly-edited transcript of their answers.
R.J. Davis
On UNC’s comeback attempt in the second half: It wasn’t the great first half that we started off with, but to pull all the way through, all the way to the second half and be right there just speaks on this whole season. It’s been a rollercoaster year, but we persevere. We were resilient and we didn’t go without down without a fight.
On his late basket which cut the deficit to two points at 66-64: I felt like momentum was on our side. It was a two-point game and we just needed one more stop. The crowd got into it just from being down 18 and a half and then pulling all the way through to a two-point game. It was good energy. I felt like, looking up at the clock, ‘This is our time to win.’
Seth Trimble
On the mood at halftime: Nobody was stressed, nobody was worried. Everybody was mad because of the first half that we just played, but obviously we can’t change it after that. That’s how we dealt with it.
On dealing with a late injury to Jae’Lyn Withers which kept him out for the rest of the game: As Jae’Lyn’s teammates, as his best friends, as family, we can’t give up just because he goes down. We have to ratchet up the intensity. We have to ratchet up the pressure and we have to gel even more to fill that void. I’m super proud of how no matter what injury happened, how we still came together, we persevered to do what we can do to get it as close as possible.
Drake Powell
On how Ole Miss built its lead: They just had a sense of urgency that was there and when we were on defense that we didn’t have. It’s like they were in practice just running their offense.
On how he will remember the season: Just happy with the relationships that I built with each and every one of my teammates and coaches and managers as well. I don’t talk a lot, so I didn’t really have opportunities to know them like that. But they’re just good people.
On whether he will come back to Chapel Hill: That’s a big decision to make that I’ll have to talk over with my circle and coaches. I haven’t really put any thought into it.
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