Dec. 8, 2001
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KENTUCKY VS. NORTH CAROLINA
POST-GAME QUOTES
RUPP ARENA, LEXINGTON, KY.
Head Coach Tubby Smith
On the game…
“It was a good afternoon for us. We came out focused and ready to play. Tayshaun (Prince) gave us a great start and set the tone. For us to get 1,800 wins is amazing. It’s an honor to be a part of that with these young men. North Carolina came into this game in the same situation we were in last year. It was total team effort. Marquis (Estill) and Keith (Bogans) didn’t shoot well, but other guys stepped up. That’s what we need to continue to do in the SEC.”
On Tayshaun Prince…
“He was unbelievable. I’ve never seen that before. He was possessed. We’ve been working hard to get extra shots up with him. He also played well defensively. We’ve been doing a lot of toughness drills. He’s getting stronger and that helps, too.”
On Marquis Estill…
“I didn’t say he wasn’t a factor. He just had his hands full with Kris Lang.”
On Marvin Stone and Jules Camara…
“As long as they’re productive. Everyone has to be ready to come in and contribute. Marvin had a good line, and he realizes that’s what he has to do to get more minutes.”
On the team’s improvement…
“We’re starting to mature as a team. We played our best defensive game of the season today, but we still haven’t played up to our potential.”
On UK’s point-guard play…
“Cliff (Hawkins) came off the bench and played well today. J.P. (Blevins) came back from his injury to give us solid play. It says a lot for him to come in and jumping up to hit that three he did.”
UK PLAYERS
#3 J.P. Blevins
On the tradition of UK vs. UNC…
“This was a great atmosphere, no doubt about it. It’s the two winningest programs in all of college basketball, so nothing really needs to be said to get up for this game. When we look down we see Kentucky and they look down and see North Carolina on their chests, so it’s exciting.”
“We knew UNC would come in scratching and clawing. We needed to be really focused about who we were playing and not concentrate on their record coming in here.”
On Tayshaun Prince…
“Man, what an effort. It didn’t hit me exactly what he’d done until I got off the court, because I was in the game while he was doing it. I’ve seen his range and it didn’t surprise me how hot he got. Once he’s feeling it, there’s not much you can do except sit back and watch. That’s what happens when you have a first-team All-American who comes back for his senior year.”
#24 Marvin Stone
On sharing playing time with Marquis Estill and Jules Camara…
“Marquis and Jules and I know we’re going to share time. So, when we get out there, we’re really going to compete and work hard.
“I think my strength would be defensively. I’m more of a defensive player and I just try to work hard for rebounds. Marquis is a great scorer – not saying that he can’t play defense – but he’s a great scorer. This is a team game and we all want to help contribute.
“We’re very competitive in practice. We have a lot of players and everybody wants that playing time. But, it’s something you have to earn. I just have to keep it up and keep playing hard. Basketball isn’t an easy game. I just have to stay positive and work hard.
On Tayshaun Prince…
“You knew he was feeling his shots. There was no hesitation and nothing but net. I was just cheerleading. It was great to watch. He put on a performance.”
#21 Tayshaun Prince
“We wanted to start off the game hard and get something going. North Carolina was had a 1-3 record and we knew they wanted to come in and get revenge.”
“It is a remarkable feeling, especially when you hit four or five shots in a row and get the team going in a game like this.”
“This game was unbelievable especially playing a team like North Carolina. As a little kid you dream about games like this.”
“This game motivated us a lot. We knew they would come in here and try to pick up the win. We wanted to start today’s game off like the VMI game, but they hit the first couple of shots. It felt good to hit those first few threes, but I just wanted to get my team going.”
On UK’s 1800th win…
“This win is remarkable. It says a lot about UK and the tradition. We had all-around good production today from a lot of guys. When we play like that, good things happen for us.”
#1 Cliff Hawkins
“North Carolina will always be North Carolina. If you don’t go out and play hard, they will beat you.”
“The crowd really sparked it for us. Everyone that came in the game was focused and contributed. This was a great win for us and the fans.”
“Tayshaun was on fire. I have seen him like that before in practice and I knew he was capable of that. If you don’t get out there on him then he will hurt you.”
UNC Head Coach Matt Doherty
“I want to congratulate Tubby and his team. They played great defense. I knew they’d come out and play hard and they did.”
On the Rupp Arena crowd…
“When you come into an environment like this with a young team, you might have some breakdowns and we did. It was an environment that the young kids have to experience. It’s a fun to place to play. It ranks up there with Allen Field House (Kansas), Duke, and Maryland. I thought the crowd did a good job today. They were into it and made a lot of noise.”
On Tayshaun Prince…
“Tayshaun Prince had a phenomenal night. I don’t know if I can ever remember a guy shooting the basketball like he did tonight. I think his maturity and athleticism tonight played a big factor.”
On the UNC turnovers…
“We have to work on our execution, our cutting and our passing drills.”
On Kris Lang…
“About 10 minutes before halftime he was nauseous and then he threw up throughout halftime. I thought he had a great first half and was courageous for coming out in the second half.”
UNC PLAYERS
Brian Morrison #3
On Tayshaun Prince…
“He was amazing. After he made two three’s we tried to key on him but then he kept hitting big shot after big shot after big shot.”
On a young team playing in Rupp Arena…
“We still played fairly well, especially in the second half.”
“When I’m playing I don’t think about where I’m playing, whether I’m in Rupp Arena or Binghampton, I still play hard.”
Jason Capel, #25
On loss being a setback…
“I don’t know right now. I don’t think we gave up. I think they out-hustled us in some instances but I know we didn’t give up at all. We stuck together out there and we just have to learn from it.”
On UK’s hustle…
“They got their hands on a lot of rebounds, especially on the offensive end. They would tip it and keep it alive and keep coming up with it. Those are things that we can’t control. It shouldn’t happen like it did out there. We need to do a better job of getting loose balls but tonight it just didn’t happen for us.”
On Tayshaun Prince…
“I’ve always known that he was a good shooter but he was shooting from the K at half court today. Once he gets it going, all you can do is get your hand up. He was shooting right in my face and I have to congratulate him. He shot the ball great today.”
