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#UNC players Cade Tyson, RJ Davis, Jae'Lyn Withers and Seth Trimble after win at FSU
Feb 25, 2025
#UNC players Cade Tyson, RJ Davis, Jae'Lyn Withers and Seth Trimble after win at FSU
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0:00
so that's how it goes how about your
0:02
part how have you gotten to this point
0:04
work through a stretch where not a lot
0:07
happen uh yeah I mean like you said it's
0:10
just been a confidence factor I felt
0:11
really confident out there today um I
0:13
think I credit that to my coaches and my
0:15
teammates um and you know I tried to
0:18
keep I'm a big Faith guy so I try to
0:20
keep the verse uh first Peter 510 in the
0:22
back of my mind um so that's a big verse
0:25
for me Gage you become a junkyard dog
0:28
though like I mean it's not it's not
0:30
shooting me today you're on the boards
0:32
and everything like have have you tried
0:34
to make some sort of concerted effort
0:36
like look just get in there and throw my
0:38
body around a little bit yeah a little
0:39
bit I mean at the end of the day the
0:41
goal is to win games I mean that's what
0:43
I'm here to do that's what everybody
0:44
else comes here to do um so whatever I
0:47
need to do to help my team win the game
0:49
that's what I'm going to strive to do K
0:51
how much did that first shot kind of get
0:52
you going the offensive rebound I think
0:54
you like Flex a little bit after that
0:55
how much did that kind of get you going
0:57
yeah uh I like to ease my way in the
0:59
game sometime s but I felt like you know
1:01
I felt like that was an energy play and
1:03
I I think me and my teammates as well I
1:06
think we Thrive off uh each other's
1:08
energy plays and I felt like that helped
1:10
us throughout the game and then as a
1:12
team you guys you know outrebounded FSU
1:14
got a lot of Second Chance points I
1:15
guess just you know in preparation for
1:17
this game how much of an emphasis was
1:19
that of you know keep because they're we
1:21
looked at the stat like the fourth
1:23
tallest roster in the country like how
1:24
much of an emphasis was that to kind of
1:26
keep them up yeah I mean we definitely
1:27
touched on a little bit but um you know
1:30
it was a quick turnaround from the game
1:31
on Saturday so we didn't have too much
1:33
time to prepare so it was mainly kind of
1:35
just focusing on what we do and you know
1:38
coach Davis always har on get to the
1:40
offensive glass you know win the
1:42
rebounding game the game so that's what
1:45
we try to do did you know that you was
1:47
going to call your number pretty early
1:49
today was that established or is it just
1:50
sort of a game game four thing or um I
1:54
mean I don't know for sure like when
1:55
he's going to call my number or any of
1:57
that um but I trust coach Davis and you
2:00
know where he sees that I fit into the
2:02
game um and I just try and stay ready I
2:04
mean that's that's what I'm here to do I
2:05
feel like that's my part um on this team
2:07
right now what have your emotions been
2:09
the last couple games I mean obviously
2:10
season you didn't get a lot of minutes
2:12
and and then you go to the State game
2:13
where they were chanting your name I
2:15
mean that's a big contrast to most way
2:18
most of your season is gone yeah that
2:19
was fun um I definitely like the state
2:22
game I mean I feel like I've always been
2:23
confid my abilities it's just kind of
2:25
you know putting it you know out there
2:28
for everybody else to see you know in a
2:30
different environment um you know I feel
2:32
like I haven't accomplished much here um
2:35
and I'm looking to do more I'm going to
2:37
go back to your rebounding because you
2:38
weren't just grabbing rebounds smacking
2:41
a couple of emphatics they didn't give
2:44
you that
2:45
tip you work on that is that the kind of
2:49
guy you were on people Haven really see
2:51
you ch um a little bit um definitely in
2:54
the Missouri Valley guys were definitely
2:56
smaller um so that's a little bit of a
2:59
factor
3:01
um it like there was more Edge maybe a
3:04
little bit um maybe that comes with the
3:06
confidence back I don't know I just go
3:09
out there and like I said try to do my
3:10
part to help the team you got try to get
3:13
that yeah it is what it that score up
3:16
there is good enough for me who who have
3:18
you leaned on like outside of Coach
3:20
Davis I know he mentioned that you know
3:22
he meets with all the guys all that
3:25
here's but for you like who have you
3:28
lean on through
3:29
[Music]
3:31
look I actually did interview
3:33
with I did interview with him about 15
3:35
years ago with JJ re BR his record
3:37
unbelievable one of the best interviews
3:39
I've ever had how much easier is it for
3:41
you to find a rhythm when there's so
3:43
much balance on the team as far as
3:45
scoring and everything yeah I mean I
3:48
think I just do a good job kind of just
3:49
picking my poison a little bit and um
3:51
just always staying confident not really
3:53
letting the flow of the game um take
3:56
away from my mindset um and I think my
3:58
teammates do a good job of is finding me
4:00
within Rhythm and uh shots come a little
4:03
bit more easier now whereas as I think
4:06
I'm just letting the game come to me a
4:07
little bit more whether that's you know
4:08
just trying to simplify the game make it
4:10
simple if I'm open shoot it um if I feel
4:12
like I can be the man um make a layup or
4:15
make it for somebody else I'll do that
4:17
so I think I'm just kind of simplifying
4:18
the game a lot more coach Davis said it
4:20
feels feels like you guys F the switch
4:22
is that what it feels like yeah I just
4:24
think we're doing a good job of kind of
4:25
just all buying in and what I mean by
4:27
that is kind of just buying to each
4:28
other and uh uh I think it's been shown
4:31
the last four games um our energy is
4:33
better our mindset on the both ends of
4:35
FL offensively and defensively and just
4:37
feel like we're connecting I think we're
4:39
just trying to wece see the picture that
4:41
we painted and um we're starting to
4:42
believe a little bit more when during
4:44
these last four games did you know that
4:46
maybe things were different it wasn't
4:48
just a good game or game and a half but
4:50
maybe you guys were changing I kind of
4:52
just felt like after the Clemson game a
4:53
little bit um you gone back to that a
4:56
couple times that that game right there
4:57
was kind of just like a it kind of like
5:00
we felt defeated a little bit and I just
5:02
think our response since that day since
5:04
that game just going into practice was
5:06
uh um I was just so proud of it just
5:09
because usually throughout the year
5:10
we've been knocked down a lot of times
5:12
and we get back up and get knocked down
5:14
again but I think our response has been
5:15
better our energy getting better we're
5:17
buying in and we're just taking a one
5:18
game as a Time approach and I just think
5:21
we're connecting really well we're
5:22
strolling the right way and everyone's
5:24
just playing the right way so yeah when
5:25
you look at the last four games there
5:27
are a lot of measuring points to show
5:28
where you guys have got better last last
5:31
two games before tonight you guys won
5:32
big you didn't do a lot offensively how
5:35
much was that a sign of this team
5:37
growing where you don't have to put 20
5:39
up in order for you guys to win going
5:41
buy a big marget I mean that's just
5:42
winning basketball right there right so
5:43
you have a Balan team you look at it
5:45
just like even the pros like the Celtics
5:46
for example they have a lot of guys that
5:48
can score the ball at will and uh it's a
5:50
it's a healthy doer if you go down the
5:52
line and I think that's what we're
5:54
starting to realize as a team right now
5:56
everyone's contributing in so many ways
5:58
uh these past two games maybe three be F
6:00
like multiple guys and double figures
6:02
and um that's running basketball right
6:04
there that's what we need mov forward
6:05
cuz you know creeping up on March
6:07
creeping up on AC tournament and finish
6:09
out the regular season strong so I'm
6:10
just glad that we're we're clicking the
6:12
right way and clicking at the right time
6:13
as well and staying on that Hubert said
6:15
that he's one of the reasons he's
6:17
sticking with guys longer when they come
6:18
into a game is because they're producing
6:21
so even a guy like Seth who may stay on
6:23
the bench longer cuz other guys are
6:25
producing he got in and then he produced
6:27
how how is that Dynamic different with
6:28
this Bunch now it was just a few weeks
6:30
ago it's a stay ready mentality um your
6:32
numbers called just go out there um and
6:34
just produce like how we doing and I
6:36
think kage been a was a true example of
6:39
that tonight his number was called and
6:40
he was able to come in the first half
6:42
knock down threes uh make offensive
6:44
rebounds plays and just those winning
6:46
plays winning detail plays um allows for
6:49
um a lot of momentum to go our way and
6:52
um I just think our production from 75
6:54
to the bench has been great it's been
6:56
phenomenal um I think this was like a
6:59
put up there like a big team win just in
7:01
terms of just how the game FL the game
7:03
was going and we just kind of just stay
7:05
um levelheaded throughout the all off
7:08
that um you talked about you mentioned
7:10
Kade obviously in the production he had
7:11
is this the the most confident you've
7:13
seen him I guess to this point of the
7:14
Year obviously he had that first rebound
7:16
was kind of flexing this the most
7:18
confident um I think kage's confidence
7:20
never wavered a little bit um I just
7:23
think sometimes when we put him in
7:25
positions um he's been ready and I think
7:27
he capitalized off that tonight and and
7:30
one thing I love about Kate is um
7:32
obviously you know you got D DMP coaches
7:35
decisions and you know sometimes living
7:36
the minutes but he never complain um he
7:39
always stay ready he's always a
7:40
supportive teammate and that's like a
7:42
true Pro right there um man I think K
7:45
just phenomenal today and just his his
7:48
work I think just in practice after
7:49
practice he's getting shots up he's
7:51
coming back late night in the gym and
7:53
that's a definition a pro right there so
7:54
I'm just super happy for him in the way
7:56
he performed tonight what in the
7:58
difference last four
8:01
games um do the vibe change um I would
8:05
just say the the confidence um again
8:08
like I think that you know we have to do
8:09
whatever it takes to get the win and
8:12
that's pretty much what we did that game
8:14
uh had it close for majority
8:16
of first first half and uh know we had
8:20
to come out with a different intent and
8:22
um that kind
8:24
of Coach Davis says it's it's like a to
8:27
switch is that how it feels you said
8:30
what coach Davis said it was like you
8:31
guys split the switch yeah yeah for sure
8:34
for sure I think that um you know at
8:37
least since I've been here like we've
8:38
been uh really good in the second half
8:42
like whenever it comes to like finishing
8:43
games I guess so I think yeah today we
8:47
pretty much did though now in so many
8:50
games this season teams made a run and
8:53
Lead would have been a race they made
8:55
their run and you beat it half what's
8:57
the difference are there intang that are
8:59
coming through now that weren't coming
9:01
through before um I would say uh piece
9:05
by piece uh each guy is got uh more
9:08
confident more aggressive you see K had
9:09
a pretty good uh out in the day you know
9:12
getting his hands on you know a lot of
9:14
loose rebounds knocking down shots you
9:17
know making plays out there SE SE got
9:20
going the second half so I think they
9:22
like right there kind of Jay one thing
9:25
that Hubert said a couple days ago was
9:26
that the practices have been I think he
9:28
said short tempered or whatever
9:30
B more spirited uh first of all who's
9:32
been like kind of spearheading that like
9:33
who's been ratcheting up the intensity
9:36
bre uh the intensity or the energy both
9:41
um I think it varies I think that U
9:44
sometimes it's me RJ you know Elliot
9:47
bringing energy wash um you know guys
9:49
that are just like you know have a
9:51
energetic side I think that those that's
9:53
how we usually start but um if we need
9:55
need a little push I think H know other
9:58
staff get us going do you feel this is
10:00
probably the most connected the team has
10:01
been you obviously talked about you know
10:03
the mentality you guys need to have you
10:05
feel like this is kind of the most
10:06
connectivity you for sure I think um you
10:09
know going through the hardships you
10:11
know losses uh kind of helped us you
10:13
know
10:14
Bond understand like where we can help
10:17
each other out where we can be there for
10:18
one another how did you guys go in the
10:21
last couple games to be in a team that
10:23
will outrebound other teams you know
10:25
like it's it's not like you can flip a
10:27
switch but it's almost like you guys
10:28
have right right um I would say it's
10:31
been from
10:32
HD he's uh he brought up a um I believe
10:37
it was a point from the NHL the Canadian
10:42
team and the USA team like the first n
10:44
seconds in the game you know they
10:46
instead of you know just playing hockey
10:48
you know like a normal game drop the
10:49
gloves up the sleeves and ready to Duke
10:52
them and uh I think that that's um you
10:55
know he kind of wanted to imprint that
10:57
on to imprint impr that on us and uh you
11:02
know show us that you know like we can't
11:03
be like the reactors we got to we got to
11:06
throw the first punch so make the choice
11:08
to fight kind of pretty much yeah yeah
11:11
theoretically throw the gloves down have
11:13
you seen that clip yeah we we
11:16
watch today before film before pregame
11:19
so I one thing I noticed today you got
11:21
the tech the other day cuz you're
11:22
barking
11:24
at be right here an Italian chef kiss or
11:27
something what was that
11:29
that was a new that was a new look for
11:31
um cuz it was like uh I guess like I was
11:35
just feeling pretty pretty good in warm
11:37
up
11:39
late don't I only got one if I had two
11:43
You' be
11:44
good but yeah um I would say uh it's
11:48
just I had a good feel I think that um I
11:51
don't think it touched any Rim so
11:52
thought it was is it a concered effort
11:54
to not bark some the other guys said the
11:57
other day barking game I guy asked you
11:59
about
12:00
you have to did he say you got to watch
12:02
that a little bit or
12:04
what you know I got to be a vet I got to
12:06
you know I can't really have those type
12:08
of moments we need uh we need me if
12:11
anything helping out the younger guys uh
12:13
to not have those moments instead of me
12:16
having with
12:17
J it was just two weeks ago that you
12:20
guys lost at and that seemed like a
12:22
pretty low moment you were you know
12:24
beating FSU to the boards a lot got a
12:25
lot of Second Chance points and it took
12:27
a while for them to even get a offensive
12:28
rebound
12:29
what do you think was working well for
12:31
you guys on the B uh just the size you
12:33
know the adjustment that we made uh the
12:35
last few games and just guys really
12:37
being aggressive going to go get
12:39
rebounds I think it was simple as that
12:41
we went to go get him and we got him so
12:44
speaking to the last four games one
12:46
thing that Huber said the other day was
12:47
the practices have been more like high
12:49
intensity I think he said short temper
12:50
even uh what do you think has led to
12:52
that and who is kind of the main one
12:54
spearheading that the heightened
12:56
intensity I think everybody is
12:57
spearheading it in their own way and
12:58
that's why seen that uh production
13:01
increased from from everybody I mean our
13:03
depth has gotten deeper K played amazing
13:05
today uh I was out in the first half for
13:09
poweron a bunch of other guys stepped up
13:11
so it just shows uh you know the more
13:13
competitive that we gotten over the last
13:15
few games the more the more beneficial
13:17
has been to the team cuz you know it's
13:18
it's a lot a lot of other guys to step
13:20
up and you know step into that step into
13:22
that new role of there so you mentioned
13:24
being out sitting out for a while Hubert
13:26
said a few minutes ago that he's
13:28
sticking with guys longer because
13:30
they're producing so he's making it
13:32
they're making it easy on him to run
13:34
with a guy for Seven 8 n minutes maybe
13:36
when they would have gotten four before
13:37
but then someone like you sits for a
13:39
while how do you sit there for a while
13:41
and when you get back in you then stay
13:42
on the court for a long time and force
13:44
someone else to sit that's a good
13:45
situation for a coach to have yeah yeah
13:48
yeah you just you just stay in it you
13:51
stay in it you know it's every
13:53
possession will be your possession every
13:54
came will be your game but that first
13:56
half wasn't my first half but I wasn't
13:58
happy with it I was happy with sitting
13:59
so told myself as soon as I check in
14:01
that second half it's it's it's a whole
14:04
another game for me so and you're very
14:06
productive when you came absolutely I
14:07
made sure that was that yeah except this
14:09
was a team that different points of this
14:11
year was getting out rebounded by other
14:13
teams now you guys are beasting people
14:15
on boards thanks like I mean it's not
14:17
like you can flip a switch and make the
14:19
change but it's almost like you have
14:21
like where do you think you guys have
14:22
found the effort in the fight you had no
14:25
choice uh we stepped it up like compe
14:29
wise in practice and you know if you
14:30
don't come to practice to compete now
14:33
it's going to be a bad day for you it's
14:34
going to be a long day for me you're
14:35
going to hear from HD all day long and
14:37
from your teammates as well we've done a
14:38
good job holding each other accountable
14:40
but we've all stepped up competitively
14:42
and it and and it's really showed
14:43
defense not defense rebounding is is
14:47
pure heart and however much talent and
14:50
height you know it's I'm 6'3 and I'm a
14:52
good rebound so you know it just shows
14:54
it's not it's not just about athleticism
14:56
not just about height uh but it's heart
14:59
and defensively too I feel like we've
15:00
been defensively we've been way better
15:02
the last few games and it goes to how
15:05
A's been getting on practice you know so
15:08
it's it's taken us a really long way we
15:10
heard that they they showed the Hubert
15:13
showed the hockey video of them
15:15
dropping he did what was the reaction to
15:18
that uh it was something that we need to
15:20
see it was something that we needed to
15:22
see we saw that those players took pride
15:25
in the jerseys that they had on you know
15:26
Team USA was proud to represent team
15:29
saying they were really they were
15:29
willing to fight uh and just do whatever
15:33
they need to do for the team to get a
15:35
win and he just carried that the same
15:37
message to us you know we're North
15:38
Carolina the history here the the team
15:41
that we have who we're playing for we
15:43
have no choice but to fight you know but
15:44
to throw our gloves down and to get
15:46
dirty so it was a great
15:48
message after the clips came You' like
15:51
how a lot of players weren't putting
15:54
forth the effort that that seems like
15:57
what's your assessment now
15:59
it's definitely it's absolutely changed
16:01
I think every guy that steps on that
16:03
floor and every guy on the bench that's
16:04
hearing has put 110% effort and I'm not
16:08
going to give myself credit to saying
16:09
they listen to me after the Clemson game
16:10
it's been all coach Davis and the rest
16:13
of the coach staff and them just getting
16:14
on us and it's been us holding each
16:15
other accountable so in practice you
16:18
know what is me on that Ellie or Ellie
16:20
on that J we HD on the whole team
16:23
everybody's Hing each other accountable
16:24
and this really came a long way thank
16:25
you Seth thanks everybody apprciate y