LOCKER ROOM REPORT: Wolfpack Players
NC State’s Michael O’Connell, Marcus Hill, Dontrez Styles, Ben Middlebrooks, and Jayden Taylor met with the media following the Wolfpack's 84-61 win over William & Mary Friday evening.
NOTE: Click on each player’s respective thumbnail to watch each interview in the player above.
Michael O’Connell
“We have to make sure we continue what we’re doing. As the half continued on, we picked up the energy, and it helped us continue on.”
“It’s not surprising. In practice, [Dennis Parker, Jr.] is all over the place. He flies around: steals, fast breaks, dunks, catch-and-shoot threes. The one he hit in the corner, I feel like we’ve connected on that before in practice. It’s pretty cool to see him continually get better. He’s my roommate this year. I love to see him thriving and getting better every day.”
“The biggest thing is the chemistry. We’ve had some real, live-action games. We’re competing against other people, not against ourselves. It’s great to build that chemistry and bond on the court.”
Marcus Hill
“We just need to come out [of halftime] stronger. We came out just a little lackadaisical. We need to come out a little stronger.”
“I feel like we’re getting better every game.”
“We’re ready. We’re going to get better in practice, and we’ll be ready for whomever we play.”
Dontrez Styles
“We’ve just got to better with turnovers.”
“We can’t let our foot off the gas. We’ve got to keep on the gas pedal the whole game. We got kind of complacent, and they came back and made us pay for it.”
“As a team, we’re way better. Every day, we’re bonding. We see each other every day, so we’re developing a better bond, and it’s showing on the court.”
“We can’t wait for it. If we want to be a big-time basketball program, we’ve got to beat the big-time schools, and we’ll do that.”
Ben Middlebrooks
“They’re a really good team. They’re making a lot of shots and getting a lot of loose balls. We knew we had to lock down our defense and get a couple of stops, and we did that, so the rest came afterward.”
“I feel [the growth] is huge. A big part of it is chemistry and getting to know each other. Obviously with a team like this with a lot of freshmen and transfers, chemistry’s going to take time to come. We’re getting there each and every game. We’re getting more used to different lineups, and guys are fitting into roles, so the more we play, the more that’s going to solidify.”
“We’re very excited to go play in some unfamiliar territory, play in a new gym, and play against one of the better teams in the country. We’re ready for the challenge, and we’re going to prepare for it, and we’re going to show our best out there.”
Jayden Taylor
“Brandon [Huntley-Hatfield] was in the ACC, playing on Louisville, so he knows. He’s dominated in the ACC already, and y’all know what Ben can do. Obviously last year, he was very impactful for us, and this year, it’s the same or even better. He brings a lot of energy, and we love playing with him.”
“I don’t know why there was concern about our defense. If anything, it’d be better if you know what we have. Real basketball people know. It’s not a surprise to me. It’s Coach [Kevin] Keatts. You’re not going to play if you don’t play defense.”
“We’re going to get better, game to game, but I feel like we’re a completely different team from the first scrimmage. We’re doing things differently. We’re learning from the film, and we’re taking the experience and growing.”