CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Hubert Davis met with the media Thursday morning in advance of the Tar Heels’ trip to Connecticut to compete in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off at the Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort.
UNC will open up with No. 6 Purdue on Saturday afternoon, and will face either No. 5 Villanova or No. 17 Tennessee on Sunday afternoon.
The Tar Heels are ranked 18th nationally and, at 3-0, are coming off a 94-83 win at College of Charleston on Tuesday night.
Above is video of Davis’ entire press conference and below is the complete transcript of everything he had to say:
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Q: Playing ranked teams this weekend what do you want to learn about your team, what do you feel like you want to get out of this weekend?
DAVIS: “I want to win both games, I’m excited about the opportunity that we have this weekend Tennessee Villanova Purdue unbelievable coaches, coaching staff, and teams. and it'll be a great competition for us. I feel like in every game still that we've learned a little bit more about ourselves.
“I felt like against Loyola when they came back and cut it to nine in the second half, just our toughness and our ability to get back to what we needed to do on the defensive end and be able to get out in transition. I thought we learned a lot about our preparation, our process in that game. We got hit pretty hard against Brown. Brown was a hot team and I thought we learned a lot about our team in that game as well.
“And then going on the road playing in an environment that we haven't played in over two years, and just the togetherness that we had to have on a true road game really put ourselves in a position to be prepared for this weekend, so I'm excited about it.”
Q: With their big man Zach Edey, 7 -foot –4, does he compare to anybody that guys have played in in the recent past, especially Armando going up against a guy that big?
DAVIS: “He does a really good job of getting position really close to the basket. It's something that we have to prepare for and something that we have to be willing to compete against. We want them to catch the ball further away from the basket, but he poses a lot of problems, so it's going to stretch our bigs defensively on every possession.
“But also, on one of the things that I always say is, the challenge of defending them around the basket in the post, but there's a challenge for them to defend our bigs. We can score around the basket as well and we can also play out on the perimeter, so as much as they pose a problem for us and a challenge for us we do the same thing on the other end.”
Q: What are some things Leaky has done on defense that doesn’t show up in the box score?
DAVIS: “Well, I think what he has done on defense has shown up in the box score. The way that he has defended the other team's best player has just been off the chart, not only in terms of their points per game but just his effort on the defensive end making them work hard. He's gotten steals and deflections, he stayed out of foul trouble he's just made it hard for whoever he's guarding to catch the ball, to score, to get good looks, e's been relentless on the defensive end.
“The way that leaky is playing right now is the way that I thought and envisioned leaky playing the first time that he stepped foot on campus. He's always had tremendous length and athleticism, his versatility to be able to guard basically one through four sometimes one through five gives him an opportunity to be an elite defender. I'm so happy for him that consistently he's been doing that this year and everybody's noticing it.”
Q: Kerwin Walton had a career-high in minutes against Charleston, what improvements have you seen from him in this short season?
DAVIS: “Kerwin was fantastic against Charleston, and it wasn't just his ability to shoot the basketball I thought he was outstanding on the defensive end. One of the things that I've told Kerwin is that he can be an elite defender and he's somebody that can be a game-changer on both ends of the floor.
“One of the things that I changed is in the second half against Charleston I specifically started calling plays for. One of the things that we have talked about is for him to be more aggressive, teams aren’t gonna leave him like they were at the beginning of the year last year and he is known now.
“He's on the scouting report and so for him to be more aggressive coming off screens and looking for a shot, but in the second half we will we were intentional in calling specific plays for him to put him in positions to be able to get shots and when he was open, he was able to make them. He was really good against Charleston.”
Q: Do you feel like you have a good handle on the lineups you are using, or will it be a process throughout the season?
DAVIS: “It's going to be a process in I don't want to play seven or eight guys. I really believe that Anthony Harris can help us. He's an unbelievable defensive player, he has a lot of experience he's had some really high moments here at Carolina and I have to do a better job of getting him moments in time out there on the floor because I really believe he can really help us Dontrez (Styles) D’Marco (Dunn) I can't be anymore high on them than I am on both of those two. They're gonna have unbelievable careers here at Carolina, and I need to find minutes for them because I really believe that they can help us.
“As well Justin Mckoy's somebody that not only can play to three can also play the four and so that that's a huge benefit for us. So, the answer your question the rotation is not set. I want to play more guys and I've got to do a better job of finding minutes for those guys because I really believe that one of the strengths that we have is we have tremendous depth, and you know if you have depth, it's only it's only good if you use it and I want to use it.”
Q: With regards to Anthony Harris, where do you see him fitting in? Can he play a little bit of point guard if you need him to?
DAVIS: “He can play the one, he can play the two, he can play to three. And the reason I feel comfortable with that is how good he is on the defensive end. He can match up at any one of those positions, he's somebody throughout his career that has played some point guard, he can play off the ball. I'd like to use him in many different areas, much like. Against Charleston, we had leaky at the three primarily, but he played a little bit of the power forward and a little bit of the point. I see more of Ant’s minutes coming at the two and three and I really like him in those positions."
Q: Armando had six blocks against Charleston and you mentioned after the game how his work improving perimeter skills on offense may translate to his foot work around the basket, do you get a sense some of the mobility he worked on this summer is also helping him on the defensive end of the floor?
DAVIS: “Yeah, he’s a really good defender. He has quick feet, and I’ve really mentioned before how hard he’s worked on the summer on his body on the quickness, and not just becoming better, (but) you see his footwork, and the footwork around the basket and his ability to be able to score. But it’s also been a benefit for him on the defensive end. That’s one of the reasons I feel comfortable switching all ball screens, because I really believe Armando can guard perimeter players out on the perimeter.
“And having him around the basket and having him block and alter shots is a huge benefit for us. There’s only been one game where he’s gotten into foul trouble, (and) that’s one of the things that we have talked about. A lot of times he’ll get some silly fouls, and I prefer him out on the court as opposed to sitting next to me on the bench.”
Q: What do you like that you’ve seen from Dawson Garcia so far, and where is he in the process of finding full comfort out there with the guys?
DAVIS: “Dawson is a big-time player. I really believe he’s the best defensive big in the country, he can literally guard one-through-five. Every time that he switches on a perimeter player in practice and in a game, the first thing that I say is, ‘No help, no help, Dawson’s got ‘em, Dawson’s got ‘em.’
“So, from a defensive standpoint, he’s been terrific for us, from day one. On the offensive end, we’re working on getting him more in a rhythm on the offensive end. He’s a guy that can score around the basket, he can drive from the perimeter, and he can shoot from three.
“One of the things that we’ve talked about, is in the past he has started games outside-in, and one of the things we talked about even yesterday is, ‘maybe let’s work inside-and-out.’ It’s so much easier getting a post feed scoring around the basket, getting to the free throw line, then stepping back out and shooting that three.
“And also, specifically calling some more plays for him. He’s a big-time difference maker player, and I really believe when he gets into a rhythm on the offensive end, it’s going to just take us to a different level from an offensive standpoint.”
Q: You noted earlier about Purdue and the challenges it presents, but in your second game up there, you’re going to face a very different kind of team. How huge is it to learn about your team knowing you’re going to face two very different styles this weekend?
DAVIS: “Our first three games, and you can even include the exhibition game, we’ve played four different styles. And so, that has prepared our team moving forward. And what we’re learning about our team is how we’re going to handle success, how we’re going to handle adversity. Those are the things that we learn about our team.
“I’m just excited for an opportunity to play in a tournament like this against unbelievable teams and great programs and coaches. All of our players are excited about this chance, about this opportunity, and are looking forward at the end of the weekend not only being successful, but feeling good about where we’re going as a team.”
Q: I wanted to ask more about Leaky Black, and I don’t know if you pay attention to plus-minus, you mentioned his defense, but is there anything different offensively from last year that has made him a positive player for you?
DAVIS: “Yeah, I never look at that plus-minus. I’m not a huge stat guy. I do look at numbers, but not particularly that metric. I think on the offensive end, there has been a shift and a change. He has a really clear understanding of what he can do on the offensive end, and how he can help on the offensive end.
“From an offensive standpoint, he can drive, he can finish, he can finish around the basket. I think he’s doing a really good job of driving, running in transition because he’s somebody that can get easy baskets in transition. He’s attacking the offensive glass, he’s using his length and athleticism. He’s a really good free throw shooter, when he gets fouled he to the free throw line. And he’s being selective in terms of shooting the ball from the outside.
“One of the things that we talk about all the time is we want to pass up good shots to get great shots, and he’ll pass up a good shot, an open shot for him from three-point range, he’ll drive in the lane and he’ll find somebody else to get an even better shot. There are a number of examples of him in the past where he may have taken that shot, but he’s putting the ball on the floor and penetrating. He found Kerwin for a wide-open three.
“He just has a really good understanding of what he can do on the offensive end and how it can help the team. And he’s doing a really good job of that.”
Q: Is there one thing about yourself, about this team that has surprised you through three games?
DAVIS: “There hasn’t been anything that has surprised me. I was really excited about the game at Charleston because that was the first time that any of the players have played in a crowd like that in over two years. So before the game, some people had asked, ‘Do you think your team is ready for this type of atmosphere and what’s going to happen tonight?’
“And I said, ‘No, because they’ve never experienced it.’ So, it was really good to see our team respond in that type of atmosphere. It was a lot of fun to be there. And a couple of players have stopped by my office this morning and talked about how much fun it was to play in that type of environment and how excited they are to play this weekend.”
Q: Have you made any adjustments to your scouting process when getting ready for future opponents?
DAVIS: “Yeah, we have. One of the things that I like to do is to prepare a couple of days before a game. And that’s something that we have tweaked or changed a little bit just from my personality in terms of preparation. So, say we have a game on Wednesday, instead of diving into the scouting report the day before, one of the things that I like to do is start maybe two or three days earlier.
“From that standpoint, just adding extra days of preparation into the practice, working on us as a team but also in preparation for our next opponent. That’s something that I’ve always as a player, and something that I translated as a coach.”
Q: You mentioned after the game in Charleston calling specific plays for Kerwin and you had said earlier here the same thing for Dawson might be beneficial, just in terms of calling sets versus natural transition offense, what’s your preference there, and how does that square with the tempo that you said after the Charleston game that you’d eventually get to?
DAVIS: “I want our guys to be aggressive. I want our guys to have freedom out there on the offensive end, and I feel like we put all of our players in positions to be able to use all their gifts and talents out there on the floor. In specific situations, and for specific people, in order to get them going on the offensive end, some guys just like to have a play called for them.
“And I’m learning that about them. It’s only been the third game, it’s only been the third game with three games of me being the head coach, and so every practice, every game what I’m enjoying is I’m learning more about me as a coach, and I’m learning more about our players. And what ultimately is on my mind is, how can we help, how can we encourage, how can we coach, how can we teach each one of these guys to be at their best on both ends of the floor.
“Just learning that piece from Kerwin that he likes plays specifically called for him makes me a better coach in terms of coaching him and coaching the team moving forward. And I’m excited to maybe tweak or change how I look at Dawson in terms of specifically calling some plays for him. It’s just a different preference on individuals, and I’m enjoying the process of learning about each one of the players and how they play on any given day.”
