THI TV: Harrison Ingram Pre-Duke Interview & Report
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram met with the media Thursday at the Smith Center to field questions about his game, playing chess, being super competitive, and facing Duke on Saturday.
The seventh-ranked Tar Heels and ninth-ranked Blue Devils tip at 6:30 PM at Cameron Indoor Stadium. UNC is 24-6 overall and 16-3 in the ACC, and Duke is 24-6 and 15-4. Carolina has won five consecutive games, Duke has won three straight and eight of its last nine.
Since 2001, UNC has met Duke in the final game of the regular season eight times with a chance to win the ACC regular season title, and has won all eight: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 20212, 2016, 2019.
Above is video of Ingram’s Q&A session, and below are some notes from what he had to say:
*Ingram is an avid chess player, something he started when he was seven years old. He is pretty good, he says, and also carries a similar chippiness to playing that as he does basketball.
“I am, same exact way,” Ingram said, laughing. “If it’s in person; on the phone it’s a little different. But if it’s in person, if I’m losing, I get a little mad.”
The only other Tar Heel that plays chess is James Okonkwo. Ingram says he usually beats the British native.
“I’m a winner, every time,” Ingram said.
*Ingram is quite comfortable talking about how he transforms from mild-mannered when off the court, other than when playing chess, so a buzz saw on it. He says he just dials in and wants to win, period.
*He also embraces having brought that edge to this team, which was missing.
“Definitely the intensity, whether it’s chippiness or just trying to win,” he said. “Me and Cormac, coming in, I knew that we would bring that intensity.”
*Ingram has been inside Cameron Indoor Stadium before, as his sister plays volleyball for the Blue Devils. He was surprised at how small and tight it is in there, and with that, is looking forward to the atmosphere there Saturday.
“It was definitely smaller than I thought it was…,” he said. “It’s a place you can’t replicate until you play there.”
Also: “I’ve heard there are people camping out in tents for months before, it’s ridiculous to me,” he said.
*Regarding how the Tar Heels have changed since the first meeting against the Devils, Ingram said they are better defensively since coming out of the lull that followed the first meeting, in which UNC won 93-84.
*Ingram said assistant coach Brad Frederick texted the team a photo of a space in the rafters for an ACC regular season championship banner, but hadn’t done it until after the Heels beat NC State last Saturday.
*Asked if he plans on interacting with the fans Saturday, Ingram replied, “100 percent.”