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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Hubert Davis met with the media Friday afternoon in advance of the Tar Heels’ game versus Virginia on Saturday at the Smith Center. The game tips at 1 PM.
UNC (10-4, 2-1 ACC) enters the game coming off a 78-73 loss at Notre Dame on Wednesday night while the Cavaliers (9-5, 3-1) have won consecutive road games at Syracuse and Clemson. Carolina has lost its last seven meetings against the Wahoos.
Above is the video of Davis’ press conference and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
*The Tar Heels were shorthanded against the Fighting Irish the other night. Dawson Garcia was out dealing with the ongoing effects of a concussion suffered early last Sunday in a win at Boston College. Kerwin Walton and Justin McKoy were back in Chapel Hill due to COVID protocols, but UNC will at least have McKoy on Saturday.
"At this time, Dawson (Garcia) and Kerwin (Walton), will not be available tomorrow, but Justin McKoy at this time will be available tomorrow,” Davis said. “So, of those three at this time, I know that Justin McKoy will be available to play tomorrow, so that will be another person able to play for us."
*McKoy spent his first two college seasons playing at Virginia, so the fact that the Cavaliers are coming to town likely will be emotional for him. As of Friday afternoon, however, Davis hasn’t addressed it with the 6-fooot-8 junior.
"I haven't had any discussion with Justin in regards to him playing against his former team, against Virginia, and this being his first game in a week,” he said. “But I can understand that there will be emotions with that. The reason why I can say that is I wasn't in that situation in college, but I was in that situation in the NBA.
“When I got traded from the Knicks and the first time that we played the Knicks, I wanted to score 30 on them, and you know how many times I scored? I scored two points. There was a lot of emotion going into that. When I left Toronto the first time that I played Toronto, there was emotion. When I got traded from the Dallas Mavericks, and the next time that I played Dallas when I was with the Washington Wizards, there was emotion, so there's gonna be added feelings and emotions because that's where Justin has been.
“So, to play against not only his former team in program and coach but also some of his friends and so it'll be emotional it'll be an emotional game for him at first, but as the game goes on, it's just a game. My hope is that it'll settle in, but there will be added emotion for him. There's no way around that one."
*Staying on McKoy, he is averaging only 6.1 minutes per game, having scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds so far on the season. What does he need to do to be more a part of the rotation?
"I don't know if I could say one specific thing; if he does this, he will get more playing time,” Davis said. “In terms of playing time I've said this before, You earn playing time, just not regards to Justin; this is for everybody. You earn playing time by your play in practice. That's how you earn playing time, and so when you get on the court, that is because you have performed in practice at a level to get playing time.
“Once you get that playing time in a game, the amount of playing time that you get is determined by not only validating your play in practice, you're actually validating it by your play in the game. So for everybody, the guys that get playing time is because they've been practicing really well, and then in the amount of time that they get out there on the floor, it's because the play that they have been doing in practice is validated by their play in the game, which warrants more playing time in the game.
“So, I don't know if that answers your question but in regards to everybody, that's how playing time is determined by your play in practice and validated by your play in the game."
*Senior point guard Kihei Clark is the leader and most experienced player on UVA’s roster. He is also a national champion and was a key part of the greatest play in Virginia basketball history. This season, he is averaging 9.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per contest. Davis is a big fan of Clark.
"I don't like playing against him, but I love watching him play when he's not playing against us,” UNC’s coach said. “He's just a really great basketball player. Defensively he picks up every time full court. He's an outstanding defensive player. He knows how to run a team. He's a true point guard. He's got a great understanding of when to pass and when the shoot.
“Every year, he just keeps getting better and better. I think he's shooting, I don't know the exact percentage, but shooting over 40% from 3 point range, and that's something that early in his career times people would say that that would be one of his weaknesses, and now it's one of his strengths. To me, that's what college basketball is about. It's about growth and progression not only on the court but off the court.
“His progression and improvement on the court has just been fun to watch. He approaches the game the right way, and he's a great player, and it's gonna be fun competing against him tomorrow, and I'm a big fab of his."
*A term used by former UNC-Wilmington Coach Jerry Wainwright to describe an on-court leader who always knew how to get his teammates in the right mindset and keep them there was “fanny smacker.” He said it was essential for a championship-caliber team to have a player or two like that.
With UNC having issues at times playing with the energy, effort, and toughness that Davis demands, does he see any fanny smackers on his team?
“I do not have a fanny smacker, I do not have that…,” Davis said, laughing at the term. “At this time we do not have that. Do I think it can be developed? Yes. Do I think it’s needed? Yes. Am I hopeful that it will come? Yes.
“But at this time, no. But I understand where you’re coming from, and I think what you’re trying to say is it can’t just come from the sideline, it also has to come from within the team and the huddle.
“And, our communication with the team every day, we’re getting closer and closer to understanding the importance of having that extension of a coach in the huddle on the floor amongst teammates. Not only doing it, but doing it in the right way where it’s encouraging and helpful and motivating. But I do think it’s needed, I do.”
