Kevin Keatts: "I'm Proud of How We Finished This Game"
NC State head coach Kevin Keatts met with the media following the Wolfpack’s 78-66 road win over Georgia Tech Tuesday evening.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Keatts’ press conference.
Opening Statement
I thought Josh [Pastner] had his team prepared to play. When you look at the start of the game, those guys came out, and they completely hit us in the mouth, and they were ready to play from the beginning. With us, I thought we found a way to win a game where we didn’t necessarily play our A-game. I didn’t think we took care of the basketball, uncharacteristic of us to turn the ball over 15 times. I thought, in the second half, we defended a lot better than we did in the first and obviously came away with a great road win. Hopefully, we can build on this. This team’s coming together. We’ve had a lot of adversity. We were without another post player today in Ebe Dowuona, and I think guys found a way to win without that. Playing eight guys and playing the way we play, I’m proud of the guys in how we finished this game.
On Casey Morsell’s performance…
I thought Casey was great. He had a career high in blocked shots with three. He got to the free-throw line. I thought all three of our guards were good. When you look at Jarkel Joiner’s line, he got the free-throw line nine times and went 9-for-9. Casey went 4-for-4, but Casey does a lot of things that don’t show up on his stat sheet. He blocks shots and plays defense on the best offensive guy on the other team. I thought we did a really good job on [Miles] Kelly. Obviously, Kelly’s their leading scorer, and in order for us to be able to win the game, we had to defend well against Kelly.
On NC State’s 8-0 run to end the first half…
We couldn’t get stops. It was very frustrating. We would get within two or three points and just couldn’t get stops. Finally, I think the last three possessions of the first half, we got stops and kind of took their momentum going into halftime. Every time we scored, I couldn’t put game pressure on them, and then finally, at the end, we broke out and got stops.
On if the pressure on Georgia Tech after made baskets was due to film study…
No, we play that way. It doesn’t matter if it was Georgia Tech or it were a wilier team. We pick you up full court, and we try to create turnovers. We didn’t do a good job in that area today. When you look them, they only turned the ball over 10 times. Where it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, I think our pressure made them miss shots late, but we couldn’t turn them over.
On what winning on a less-than-ideal night says about his team…
This team’s got a lot of pride. I was really on them tonight. I didn’t think we’d bought in like we had in the last three games. They accepted coaching. They handled it the right way. We found a way to win, and not only did we find a way to win, [but] it’s tough to win in the conference on the road. To come in here and get a double-digit win when you don’t play your A-game, that’s something I think we can build on.
On his confidence in Terquavion Smith’s shooting…
He’s got no conscience. I’m yelling at him, “No, no, no!” Then the shot’s in the air, and I’m like, “What a great shot that was!” He doesn’t hear me when I’m yelling out there. He’s one of the only guys that have figured out how to tune me out when I say, “Don’t take that shot” and then makes it. That’s what makes him good. He started out hot. We talked about driving the ball after he missed a few shots, and then he did a good job at driving the ball. Late in the game, I thought he stepped up as you would hope one of your better players would do.
On where his team is heading into the North Carolina game…
I think anytime you can win on the road, it gives you confidence to be able to go on the road and win. We’re tired. We’re going to get back tomorrow, take a day off, and then obviously start trying to work on Carolina.
On the team’s confidence, regardless of the next opponent…
They really like each other. Here’s why this team is unique in its own way; it’s because of the accountability that they hold each other to. They’re coaching each other. They’re allowing each other to get on each other. They have so much fun together. That’s what makes this team a little bit different than a few of the other teams that I’ve had.