Jan. 14, 2004

Recap| Box Score| Notes| Photo Gallery

Head Coach Gary Williams
Opening Statement:
"I'm really proud because we won this game as a team. There were times in the first half where North Carolina started to make runs. I don't think there are many teams in the country that can put points up on you that fast. They are so quick. Its just incredible how they get up and down the court... We are at the stage where we need to build on this game. I expect us to be a better team after tonight. But obviously to win this game, we had to be a good team."

On John Gilchrist's play:
"I was proud of John Gilchrist because he played against a great point guard. [Raymond Felton] knows exactly what he is supposed to do with the offense. He is really an unselfish player. I don't think that there is a better match up than between those two players. John impressed me in how well he knew the game tonight.

On Jamar Smith's big game:
" I cant say enough about Jamar Smith. He really stepped up in the beginning of the second half. Our guards did a great job of getting him the ball inside. We have been turning the ball over and I thought we took care of the ball better."

Maryland Center Jamar Smith
On the outcome:
"It was a good game today. I just tried to do what I have to do to help the team win and it worked out well."

On his match-up with Sean May:
"I don't think he is used to guarding centers on the perimeter. I tried to tire him out by going around him and tried to get him into foul trouble."

On his 14-point, 6 rebound second half:
"I am always tired at the beginning of the game because I'm so excited and the adrenaline is rushing. When the second half comes, I try to calm down and focus on winning the game.

Maryland Forward Nik Caner-Medley
On the big win:
"That's a great win for us. We played hard and executed. I feel like we're a good team and if we play well, we should win these games."

North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams
On his team's play:
"The bottom line is that Maryland made big-time plays down the stretch. Our kids kept competing and we had a chance. It's unfortunate that people will make something out of the technical foul at the end of the game, but what Rashad did was react. There's nothing wrong with that. He's supposed to be denying the ball in bounds. It's unfortunate it happened the way it did, but that was just one play."

On Maryland's focus on getting the ball inside:
"Maryland was very focused on getting the ball to Jamar Smith, and we didn't do a good job of guarding him. This is one of the few times this year that the other team has shot significantly more free throws than us. Maryland's focus was to get the ball inside and it should be."

On when Jawad Williams was cleared to play:
"Yesterday afternoon the doctors finished the tests and determined that he was a lot better than he was the day before. He had not had another concussion, he had severe headaches due to a broken nose."

North Carolina Forward/Center Sean May
On his struggles shooting from the floor:
"I just wasn't myself tonight, I don't know why. I didn't make plays and that's it. I can't be so inconsistent. I have to bring it every game."

On Maryland's interior play:
"Their big men made plays and I didn't. That was the difference in the game. We lost by like five or six and I missed how many lay-ups? There's the difference right there alone."

North Carolina Guard Rashad McCants
On North Carolina's poor shooting percentage in the second half:
"The shots just weren't dropping."