Jan. 2, 2011
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery
– HEAD COACH Paul Hewitt
Opening statement
“We feel like our team is growing. The way that we have been playing the last couple of weeks, we are really doing a better job preparing for games and becoming more efficient. We are getting good looks and we have a couple guys back on track at making their shots. What can you say? I thought we played well enough to win. Give credit to Charlotte, they battled back from a 14-point deficit and down the stretch took advantage of opportunities. “
On losing Iman Shumpert
“You could see the offense come to a grinding halt. It is tough because it is the third game that it has happened and the last time it happened we were down [in the Bahamas] playing Richmond. Glen played great offensively in the second half though. There were plays that we should have made. We made a play at the end of the first half that was inexplicable. We threw it inbounds there was a quick travel and gave up some points. We talked about it in the locker room and said that those types of mistakes have to disappear because we don’t have that kind of margin of error. “
On the second OT
“I thought that we were trying to rush things in the second overtime but that is something that you have to deal with when it comes to guys that are learning how to win games. “
On the free throw shooting down the stretch
“It happens. Again, there are plays there that are not supposed to happen. You have a timeout to use and you throw it in the back court, which you should never do, you always throw to the offensive end of the court. Those plays should not happen. You can miss a shot, those just cannot happen. We are slowly getting them out of our system but today there were just too many for this team to win. “
Senior Moe Miller
On mistakes at the end of the game
“There were some mistakes down the end that really cost us. It wasn’t just that though, we were trying to keep playing and keep the tempo, but things just didn’t go the way that we wanted them to go. We prepared and practiced well, I think we just got overanxious and made mistakes that shouldn’t have been made, starting with myself. I made two crucial mistakes down the end that really cost us. You can’t just put it on the free throws. It was the mistakes. Free throws, we could have won on, but again we could have won if I didn’t turn the ball over, or if we got a rebound, or if something else happened. You can’t just pin point it on one thing.”
Freshman Jason Morris
On his comfort with the team
“As time goes on I am getting more comfortable in learning my roll. I am getting more comfortable with the team and they are getting more comfortable with me, everyone is just getting a good feel for each other out there.”
Junior Iman Shumpert
On his performance
“I just didn’t want to lose. I haven’t shot it well all year, but you just don’t want to lose. The numbers go out the window. Whatever it takes to win, I just want to win the game. I wouldn’t say that it was tough to get back into the flow of the game, but I wanted to let it come to me and get my sweat back. My rhythm wasn’t too off, I just didn’t want to force anything.”
CHARLOTTE HEAD COACH ALAN MAJOR
Opening Statement
“Hats off to Tech because they have a hell of a team, making unbelievable shots and kept coming at us. In a nutshell, this game was just about fighting. They jumped out on us early and we scrapped back at halftime. Guy just continued to make plays. Derrio [Green] made phenomenal plays, every guy…whether it was guys making free throws, guys taking charges, loose balls steals, everybody found a way to do something. I just couldn’t be prouder of our guys to continue to keep scrapping.”
On substituting for Derrio Green a lot down the stretch
“We were just going offense/defense down the stretch a little bit. Their guards have good size and are pretty physical and they were really trying to smother [Jamar Briscoe] a little bit. We just thought we would give him a little bit of a break and take him off of the ball some. Both of these guys were going because of it, because [Briscoe] is learning how to play off of the ball a little bit and Derrio is learning how to play on the ball. I think it is a blessing in disguise for both guys if we can continue to get better at that.”
On finally being able to get the lead late in the game
“When you are on the road, you have to be exceptional because team’s at home play with much more confidence, much more energy, you have the crowd behind you. Whenever you can kind of take command of the game, especially make it a multiple-possession game, not just a three-point game, anytime you can be three-plus it gives you a good feeling. They kept coming, they kept coming to their credit.”
Charlotte Guard Derrio Green
On his mindset towards the end of the game
“I wanted to not be selfish, but I felt like I could make plays and either get to the basket or get a teammate a shot and that was pretty much my mindset from the second half on, and my teammates stepped up and made huge shots.”
On where the teams stands at this point of the season
“We are finally over .500 by a little bit and I think this team is playing well. Obviously we still have a lot of room to grow, but right now we are playing well as a team, we are gelling, people are sharing the ball and it is translating on the court. I think we are headed in the right direction.”
