The North Carolina Tar Heels improved to 9-1 after another home win, this time over USC Upstate on Saturday afternoon in the Dean Dome. While they also held the Spartans longer than they expected, UNC finally pulled away in the second half.
A big reason was the performance of Caleb Wilson, who scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Henry Vissar had 14 points and 9 rebounds, and Luka Bogavac scored 15 points. The big surprise was Jonathan Powell, who came off the bench to score 17 points, including 3-for-6 from three-point range.
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It’s important for UNC to get a win before Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic against Ohio State. But before we get into that, let’s see what Hubert Davis had to say after the Tar Heels’ win over the Spartans.
All quotes are from within Carolina.
On Jonathan Powell’s 17 points
“I thought he played very well on both ends of the court. I mean, obviously, he’s a guy who can shoot, and today he not only shot the shot, but he shot it in a timely manner, especially the three-pointer. I thought the second half was an eight-point game. He hit a three-pointer in the corner to extend the lead. Big to double digits and extended the lead the rest of the game. He’s also a very physical defender and very competitive and has a lot of passion and desire to be a part of this team and this program, so I’m glad he had a great game today.”
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On players suggesting training over the past week was not up to par
“That was a huge lesson. I told him, I’m a visual learner. I can’t remember things, but if I see it, I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, and my hope is that they can clearly see the connection between how you prepare and how you practice and how you play.”
“I identified areas that have to be there every day. It’s not missed shots and turnovers; everybody misses shots, everybody turns the ball over, everybody makes mistakes. I just think the things you can control, I think those things are non-negotiable. You have to bring it every day. It’s the energy, the effort, the attention to detail, the enthusiasm, and you can’t use that as an excuse that we have finals. I’m married, I have three kids, and I’m ready for this game to come sooner.”
Regarding the performance of the U-8 team during the timeout in the first half
“There’s a lot to be happy about and excited about and proud of. 20 assists, I felt like we really shared the basketball. We shot the ball well, we took care of the basketball, so from that standpoint, I’m really happy with the team. I just felt like the practice before the game didn’t have the level of attention to detail that I need to have to be successful.”
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On a possible return of Seth Trimble?
“I mean, things are going great. As far as his training, he’s doing all the non-contact stuff. So the next step is doing all the contact stuff. So I hope Seth can be available soon.”
Gave up 11 offensive rebounds to USC North
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Regarding the use of 10 players in the first half
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: What Hubert Davis had to say after win over USC North