Mar 16, 2010
North Carolina's Roy Williams is making a trip to a place he has never been as a head coach – to the NIT.
The reigning national champion Tar Heels (16-16) will host William & Mary on Tuesday night in the first round, marking the first time since Williams' first season at Kansas that he hasn't reached the NCAA tournament. It will either offer North Carolina the chance to prolong its misery or end the year on a high note.
Williams says his team has to look at this as a new beginning, adding that his players seemed mostly relieved when they learned they had received an invitation. Fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard says he didn't think the Tar Heels would be selected for the 32-team field.
Quotes
Were you surprised to get into the NIT and were you surprised to be chosen to host the opener?
"We practiced last night, had the entire team in the locker room watching the TV and after the first three brackets came out, I turned to Steve Robinson and said 'I don't think we're going to get in.' And I originally thought we would get in, but I knew there teams left ... so at that point I had serious doubts. And then it shows up ... Coach [Holladay] came back and said 'We play Tuesday night at 9:30 at Carmichael' and I said 'That can't be right' ... so that was a surprise."
On William & Mary
"... I'm halfway through their Maryland tape and when you look at their stats, they beat Maryland at Maryland - which we haven't done very often with some really good teams - and they beat Wake Forest at Wake Forest, so they have the ability to go on the road in some tough environments and beat some good basketball teams. They're unusual in the number of three point shots that they make. It's mindboggling ... I think 48 percent of their shots are threes ... Their top three scorers, it's an even higher percentage than that. One thing they do is play to their strengths - with smaller guys that maybe didn't fit the look test for some other schools. Defensively they play zone, a matchup not point. It's unusual, so trying to get ready for something like that in one practice is hard to do. Tony [Shaver] does a good job. They play nine guys double-figure minutes."
On whether he's watched any college basketball since UNC's ACC Tournament loss -
"I've been miserable. Every place I've been, everyone carries around a TV. I go to the bathroom and there's a TV in there. What I mean by that is every time I turn around I see some team celebrating a win for the last three or four days. ... I've been like a spoiled little brat, I've taken my ball and gone home. I haven't watched one play. It's the most unusual feeling I've ever had, it's a feeling I never want to experience again."
On injury updates regarding Ed Davis and David Wear -
"[Ed]'s been in a cast for six weeks and it happens to be his left hand, so I don't think there's any way [he'll play]. ... David's operation went really well. Everyone was really pleased. He has 16 more days that he has to be extremely careful. He's wearing some kind of thing around his hip and he's on crutches - he's trying to reduce the weight baring to 20 percent on his left side. When he makes it through these 16 days, I think things get to be a heck of a lot easier after that. ...
Rank: Sports Legend Will it be one and done like the ACC tournament? Its possible.- Posted by lec0257
Rank: Sports Legend - Posted by Rdi73162- Posted by TruthBKnown Returns- Posted by Rdi73162- Posted by blugoat
Do yourself a favor common sense man,start using some.You act as if this is the first time that a team with a .500 record got into the NIT.The Tarheels are a HUGE draw,go back and look at the empty seats during the tourney,that has not happenned in my many years of watching.Dook got a favorable seed in a favorable spot.Had the refs not chosen to swallow their whistles......twice and called 10 second violations on Dook,theymay have ended up out west.Dook will struggle with any athletic team that is well coached(see GEORGETOWN).Bottom line is that dook is there are the good guys are not.Enjoy it while ya can... :)
actually i think it is the first time a .500 team got into the NIT, but i`ll take it. there has been 16-15, 16-14, so i really dont see what the big deal is. except we`re crashing states yearly party.
as for CSM, he didnt say anything about the nit, the quote about Roy and thugs in the NIT came from someone else, he was just asking for examples, he`s a carolina fan. just thought i`d help you out there sir.
RDI, seriously. Are you happy with this? I see it as just another loss coming for Carolina. It may not happen tonight, but it's almost a sure loss in their next game. But if it happens tonight, that (16-16) record becomes a (16-17) LOSING record. And don't think it CAN'T happen. Bill & Mary is a solid team. And if Carolina's heart isn't in it, then it's a LOSING season for Carolina.
sorry TBK, even if we lose tonight, im still good with it. its another game i get to see, like i said, it wasnt my vote but im not complaining.
I dont love the way we`ve played this year or the outcomes (probably cussed more than i have in 10 yrs combined LOL), but i love watching us play none the less
i know it burns you guys up and we didnt deserve it but thats not gonna change the fact that we are playing in the NIT, is complaining 50 times about it make you feel better? why not just hope state gets to play us again
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