Here is what some of the Tar Heels had to say about the loss.
Jawad Williams
On if the team hit the panic button midway through the first half
I don’t think so. I think we did a good job of keeping our poise. They pulled out about eight and we made plays. But we can just trade baskets like that with a team like State after they get a lead.
On scoring just three points in the game
Shots weren’t falling for me today. So I just try to do other things to help my teammates out. But I won’t have many of these nights. I seriously doubt it.
On Raymond Felton carrying the team on his shoulders
He tried. He did a good job of it. Ray’s a great player and showed what he can do.
Will Johnson
On the game as a whole
You gotta give them credit. They hit some big shots, hit some real big shots. I am happy with the way our guys hung in there. But everybody in here is disappointing with the outcome.
One scoring six points in the first half and keeping the Heels close
I just go out there and try to do what I normally do. Box out, set screens, knock down and open shot if I get one, make free throws. Get rebounds. It just so happened that I was in the right place at the right time today.
On the technical foul
The guys were getting into it and I went over there and tried to separate it and I said some things, and it was stupid and the ref was right there.
On if it was his first technical
Yes, it is. I’ll probably do some running for it.
Rashad McCants
On if he was frustrated by getting few looks in the first half
I wasn’t frustrated at all. You can’t get the ball every time down court. And you have to credit their defensive players. I was just trying to get my teammates involved as much as possible, and try to get the game coming to me instead of forcing it.
On what happened after he cut the State lead to 66-64 on a sensational left-hand jam
We have to go back and see what our breakdowns were, because I don’t know (why that happened). I really can’t think of anything now. They are a good team, maybe that’s it.
On Felton’s big game
Raymond’s a great player. We’ve been waiting on that performance for a while, and I feel he’s gonna bring it every night now.
David Noel
On when he learned he would start today
It came about because N.C. State has like five perimeter players, all of their players can shoot the 3 and drive the ball from the perimeter, so we just tried to switch up the lineup a bit because of matchups.
On if Byron (Sanders) will likely start at Georgia Tech on Wednesday night
He probably will. He (Matt Doherty) gave me an opportunity to go out and play defense and do what I can to help out.
On having the assignment of defending State’s Julius Hodge and what he was told to do
Just trying to be a little physical with him and try to keep him from getting the ball. We did it for most of the game, but in transition is where he got most of his points. He’s a great player and you can’t stop him forever.
Raymond Felton
On looking like he was in agony over his knee late in the game
I hurt it in practice three days ago, but it’s okay. I don’t worry about it and I’ll be alright. It didn’t bother me. I can work through it.
On putting the team on his shoulders
Not necessarily putting the team on my shoulders but more being a leader on the court. I’m not saying I will out the team on my shoulders because it’s not like that. All of my teammates, we contribute. Everybody brings something to the table. I’m just being the leader on the court.
On if he was looking for his shot earlier in possessions
Not necessarily looking for it. I was just open early so I took it.
On UNC’s defense
They are a great team. I think our defense was good in the first half. We had a time when we had a little mental lapse when we didn’t play defense as well as we did in the first half at the start of the second half.
On if this team understands where it is and what it need to do to become an NCAA tournament team
There are some things we have to learn, some things we have to do. This game here, we missed a lot of big shots in the last part of the game. So these are things we gotta work on, shots we have to knock down. We had the shots we just didn’t knock them down. We need to keep our heads up and work toward the next game.
Senior writer Andrew Jones is in his seventh year with Inside Carolina. He also covers the ACC for the Wilmington Star-News/Morning Star and can be reached via e-mail at: AndrewJones@AM630.net.