Off the cuff: UNC Players' quotes after the big victory at Maryland. Junior Guard Reggie Bullock: On Maryland's second-half run: "They were trying to make a run and had a good stretch to cut it to six points. We had to be mentally tough. Out of the timeout we made some plays. Marcus [Paige] started us off with a three pointer. He made a great shot, and we just turned it up." On North Carolina's play: "We're getting better every game. Everybody is sharing the ball up front, and we're talking on defense. We just have to keep doing that." On the rebounding battle: "We tried to be big on the boards. We had a small lineup in there so we had to make plays. Maryland is one of the best rebounding teams in the league." Senior Guard Dexter Strickland On playing with a small lineup: "I don't think it has anything to do with the lineup. I think it's because our guys have more experience on the floor. We know what we have to do to get a win. Everyone is playing as a team. The team chemistry is there and everyone is playing hard." On the play of Marcus Paige: "He bounced back quickly. We need him to do that. If he turns the ball over, he can't dwell on that turnover and let it affect his game. He hit a big three for us. You can see his confidence growing with each game." Sophomore Guard P.J. Hairston On his rebounding effort tonight: "That's been the key the last couple of games. I would finish with three or four rebounds. This game I knew that Maryland was leading the conference in rebounding, so my goal was just to crash the boards." On stopping Maryland's second-half run: "We played with poise; we didn't let their run affect us. We had a couple of turnovers which led to a layup and a three-point basket. After that we played with poise and hit some shots." On playing better on the road of late: "We all bought in. We realized that even though we're on the road, that we are the same team. We can play like this anytime regardless of if we are at home or on the road. We just have to play with heart." |
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