CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Basketball Coach Hubert Davis met with the media Friday afternoon at the Smith Center to field questions about his team in advance of the Tar Heels’ home game against Boston College on Saturday.
UNC has dropped its last two games by a point to Stanford and Wake Forest and sits at 12-8 overall and 5-3 in the ACC. That came after a four-game win streak.
BC is 9-10 overall and 1-7 in the ACC.
Above is video of Davis’ presser and below are some notes from what he had to say:
*Ian Jackson is 4-for-19 overall with 13 points in the last two games. And with 12 of the shots attempted 3-pointers, Jackson didn’t attack the rim as much as he had been. Davis was asked if Jackson was settling too much or if Stanford and Wake took away the drives. Also, Jackson didn’t attempt a free throw at Wake.
“I definitely this his growth in terms of the attention that he’s getting and how teams have adjusted in terms of playing him and being more physical with him, obviously he’s jumped a couple of levels in regards to the scouting report and importance of guarding him.
“It was a conversation I actually had with him yesterday that one of his biggest strengths is being to get to the basket and get to the free throw line. For him not getting to the free throw line, that’s something that just can’t happen. And I think that’s one of the things that makes him such a gifted scorer is his ability to score at all three levels but also be able to get to the free throw line.
“That’s just something that has to change moving forward.”
*As a follow up, were there any specifics when he settled and could have driven to the basket that he saw on film?
“I wouldn’t necessarily use the word settled, but I think there were definitely opportunities that we talked about where he could have put the ball on the floor and attacked the basket.”
*Elliot Cadeau finished with 14 points and 13 assists, but 11 of his points came in the first part of the game helping UNC to a 16-7 lead over the Deacons. He scored just 3 more the rest of the way. Did Cadeau stop looking to score, or was there another reason his scoring halted?
“He had it going in terms of getting to the basket and being able to score. One of the many things that I love about Elliot is his ability to understand when to do both. And he is such a gifted passer I think some of those times maybe he could have taken a layup but he passed it out to a teammate.
“And that’s the gift that he has. Yes, he can score but like instinctively, he just really wants to pass. So, finding that balance of being aggressive and when to get his teammates involved, which he just naturally does, that’s something he continues to grow with.”
In the last three games, Cadeau has scored 41 points on 15-for-29 shooting, including 3-for-6 from the perimeter, with 21 assists and 7 turnovers.
*The Heels have dropped the last two games by a single point and now have eight losses, six of which were nip-and-tuck with five minutes to go. Davis responded to a previous question about holding the players accountable but also trying to be encouraging.
So, what is the balance between holding them accountable and encouraging?
“I think you can do both. I’m straight forward and direct in my communication in regards to what this is what we practiced, this is what you’ve been told and taught, are talented enough to do, and this is your job and responsibility. You did it well or you didn’t do it well.
“And if you continue not to do it well, then those are things that are going to hurt your playing time. And I’m direct and definitive in my communication with them. But I’m also very direct in regards to encouraging them and them understanding that my belief in them to be able to do it, my belief in them to be able to do it at a high level of consistency, and that I’m in their corner and that’s my job.”
*In addition, Davis was asked about Boston College; about his team not playing 40 minutes; more about the mental makeup with mistakes pile up; more about Ian Jackson; and about the very good film sessions the team has had the last two days.
