Student-Athlete Quotes - North Carolina
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. North Carolina
January 11, 2014
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Student-Athlete Quotes
Tyler Ennis, Freshman, Guard
What adjustments did you make after North Carolina got off to a great start?
“We were trying to take the middle away as much as possible and closing out. He (James McAdoo) is a really good player so we were trying to limit him as much as possible.”
What makes your big offensive runs so successful?
“We just try to get everyone involved. We try to get whoever is hot the ball and make stops defensively. They got back on defense so we executed better than they did.”
Did the game feel any different given it was against North Carolina?
“Biggest thing is the crowd. They were in it the whole game. There were a lot of people there. Game-wise, it’s pretty much the same as we’ve seen with Miami and Virginia Tech as far as physical teams executing.”
C.J. Fair, Senior, Forward
What did it mean that you were playing North Carolina?
“It was exciting to play North Carolina for me especially. Growing up in Maryland, you see the ACC a lot and you watch teams from North Carolina a lot. It was exciting for me to finally play against them and for us to win, it was good.”
What are your thoughts on being undefeated exactly halfway through the season?
“We have to get better as a team, but hopefully we can get better without losing. If we happen to lose, I think that’s going to be one of the biggest tests for us to respond. Hopefully, we won’t have to go through that.
What will a team have to do to beat you?
“You have to have a well-balanced offense in terms of balancing the zone and a high post player and low post player. You have to have the total package. We also have to have an off night.”
Trevor Cooney, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard
What are you taking from your game and bouncing back?
“I’m glad I bounced back in the second half to shoot better and make shots. I got great looks and the harder shot I took I made, that was interesting. You just have to keep shooting and keep playing hard. UNC is a good team and no one really had a good offensive game for us, but we were good defensively.”
What can you say about the defense coming out in the second half and what you did to keep that double-digit lead?
“I think today was one of the first games we really played defense for 40 minutes. That was good to see, especially against a good team like UNC. And to beat good teams like that you really need to play defense for 40 minutes. I thought we did a great job of that.”
Offensively you said it wasn’t the best game - and obviously it shows in the stats - but what can you say about how the team came together and did what had to be done?
“To have everyone, especially me, shoot like we did and still win by a good amount of points shows a lot about us as a team and our character. We’re not going to get our heads down if someone is shooting bad or if we are all shooting bad. It starts on defense for us - it has since the beginning of the year, and we know that.
Jerami Grant, Sophomore, Forward
Could you talk about your aggressiveness in the first half and going to the glass?
“We knew we had to go out there and build a lead. In the beginning they came out strong and were jumping passing lanes. So we knew we had to be aggressive on the offensive and defensive end.”
Did you personally feel like you wanted to bring the ball inside and did you feel like they could guard you off the dribble?
“No, not really. Usually teams play off me - most teams do it. If I’m open, I’m going to take the shot and I took a couple shots today.”
How different, if at all, was the team today waking up for an ACC game against North Carolina with them being such a big name program?
“It was the same approach. We take the same approach against every team we play. Playing UNC we come to the game the same way as if we were playing someone we don’t know. Just coming out here trying to be aggressive and trying to win the game.”
Syracuse vs. North Carolina
January 11, 2014
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Student-Athlete Quotes
Tyler Ennis, Freshman, Guard
What adjustments did you make after North Carolina got off to a great start?
“We were trying to take the middle away as much as possible and closing out. He (James McAdoo) is a really good player so we were trying to limit him as much as possible.”
What makes your big offensive runs so successful?
“We just try to get everyone involved. We try to get whoever is hot the ball and make stops defensively. They got back on defense so we executed better than they did.”
Did the game feel any different given it was against North Carolina?
“Biggest thing is the crowd. They were in it the whole game. There were a lot of people there. Game-wise, it’s pretty much the same as we’ve seen with Miami and Virginia Tech as far as physical teams executing.”
C.J. Fair, Senior, Forward
What did it mean that you were playing North Carolina?
“It was exciting to play North Carolina for me especially. Growing up in Maryland, you see the ACC a lot and you watch teams from North Carolina a lot. It was exciting for me to finally play against them and for us to win, it was good.”
What are your thoughts on being undefeated exactly halfway through the season?
“We have to get better as a team, but hopefully we can get better without losing. If we happen to lose, I think that’s going to be one of the biggest tests for us to respond. Hopefully, we won’t have to go through that.
What will a team have to do to beat you?
“You have to have a well-balanced offense in terms of balancing the zone and a high post player and low post player. You have to have the total package. We also have to have an off night.”
Trevor Cooney, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard
What are you taking from your game and bouncing back?
“I’m glad I bounced back in the second half to shoot better and make shots. I got great looks and the harder shot I took I made, that was interesting. You just have to keep shooting and keep playing hard. UNC is a good team and no one really had a good offensive game for us, but we were good defensively.”
What can you say about the defense coming out in the second half and what you did to keep that double-digit lead?
“I think today was one of the first games we really played defense for 40 minutes. That was good to see, especially against a good team like UNC. And to beat good teams like that you really need to play defense for 40 minutes. I thought we did a great job of that.”
Offensively you said it wasn’t the best game - and obviously it shows in the stats - but what can you say about how the team came together and did what had to be done?
“To have everyone, especially me, shoot like we did and still win by a good amount of points shows a lot about us as a team and our character. We’re not going to get our heads down if someone is shooting bad or if we are all shooting bad. It starts on defense for us - it has since the beginning of the year, and we know that.
Jerami Grant, Sophomore, Forward
Could you talk about your aggressiveness in the first half and going to the glass?
“We knew we had to go out there and build a lead. In the beginning they came out strong and were jumping passing lanes. So we knew we had to be aggressive on the offensive and defensive end.”
Did you personally feel like you wanted to bring the ball inside and did you feel like they could guard you off the dribble?
“No, not really. Usually teams play off me - most teams do it. If I’m open, I’m going to take the shot and I took a couple shots today.”
How different, if at all, was the team today waking up for an ACC game against North Carolina with them being such a big name program?
“It was the same approach. We take the same approach against every team we play. Playing UNC we come to the game the same way as if we were playing someone we don’t know. Just coming out here trying to be aggressive and trying to win the game.”
