NC State's Ven-Allen Lubin, Matt Able, and Quadir Copeland met with the media after the Wolfpack's 85-45 win over Liberty.
Coach Wade talked playing with more of an edge, is that what it looks like out there?
COPELAND: 1,000%. We paid attention to everything this week. We was on our P's and Q's with everything. And coaches did a real good job motivating us for this game. With all the talks and talking about their players and things like that. They did a very good job motivating us. So we just all stayed together.
And we knew what we could be and what we could do. It's just seeing it put together and seeing it, I feel like this is one of our best games by far. So just seeing it all put together and seeing what we can do, hopefully that's just going to make the guys want to keep doing the same things to win.
Matt, are you comfortable being that close to Ven? With the black eye there?
ABLE: That's my guy. At the end of the day, we was just competing in practice. It is what it is, loose balls. So hey, I'm all right. It looks worse than it is. So we're doing good. We got the win.
Well, first of all, just just what's going on here. Just your thoughts on your game tonight and what it looked like for you as far as being able to get going again in this one.
ABLE: Yeah, I think it was really just, I think the starters did a great job setting the tone. So when I got in, I knew what I was looking for. I knew what was going to be there, what wasn't going to be there. And it was just a matter of executing. I know Q found me on a couple. I think he had two, three assists off me. So he's just looking for me, playing good basketball, making the right plays. And I think it was just a team effort. My teammates got me open and put me in that position.
For all three of you, on three pointers, the other teams have been shooting the three ball really well against you guys. What were you able to do differently today to not let them get up?
LUBIN: I think we just did a good job of just disrupting the flow. I think they did get some good looks that they didn't make normally. But I think it was also just defensive effort, activity on and off the ball. Just making sure whatever they do get, open looks. We just try to run out there and contest and do the best we can to force some misses. So that's something that we did today and something that we want to continue building off of.
ABLE: I think one of the big things was ball pressure. Pressuring the ball, because they had a couple of really good passers on that team, making some high level passes. So putting ball pressure on them, not allowing them to even see the reads was a big thing. And that's something I think we executed pretty well.
Speaking of the ball pressure, they came in averaging just like 8 and a half turnovers per game. And one of the best in assist to turnover ratio. They only finished with 14 assists and 17 turnovers.
COPELAND: Bam.
Just seeing those numbers and seeing the results give you validation that all of the hard work and everything that Coach Wade is putting you all through, does it make you feel better knowing that, OK, we can't do this?
COPELAND: Yes, but it was something I feel like we all knew we could have been doing. We've been practicing and doing on this same defense all summer and things like that. So I think we knew we could have done it. It was just the rather of want and having the grit out there.
On defense, you got to be able to not just, you can't relax in our plays. You got to have the motor to want to play. You got to want to be active on defense. And I felt like that's what we were lacking on, being a little lazy at times and things as such.
But I felt like we wanted to today. Like, we showed today we want to get stops. We want to turn them over. We want to lead into easier offense for us. And I felt like that was just a show of that, just showing more want.
And I feel like that's all it is with us. It's more of an effort thing than knowing the X's and O's. Our coaches do a real good job at explaining those to us. It's more of a one thing. And I think we all know that as a group. And I think today just showed, we just stuck together.
And we knew, like, at the end of the day, no matter how it go, we make shots and miss shots, we got to play hard regardless. So I think that's what helps our defense.
All right. So you guys will enjoy this tonight. But how big of a confidence boost is it knowing a ranked team comes into the Lenovo Center on Saturday night?
COPELAND: Super big. But the goal is to protect the crib at all costs. And we know that. I think these guys know that. Our coaches know that. Us, as a group, we all know that. So, not looking too ahead and enjoying this win, but also being able to move on and prepare for a good team in Kansas. But like I said, we're a good team. And we know what we can do.
ABLE: Yeah, I would say taking it as a building block into the next game. I think that's one of the biggest things. Getting a good win against a good team like this is big for us. And I think that it's just momentum leading into another high level opponent. And I think that with that confidence and the building steps, the building blocks we took, I think we need to come out and just be ready for Kansas. And have our minds focused.
Ven, I think you've scored a double-figure seven games in a row now. What does it mean to be that consistent guy for this team, especially when some of your teammates have been struggling at times?
LUBIN: Well, I think it's just giving credit to my teammates in order to look for me and just trust me with the ball. Obviously, here with Quadir, he's always the pass first guy. He's always told me, this pass is going to be there. It's going to be open. And just look for it.
So I just trust him the way he trusts me and be able to get me open. And just play in the flow of the game. And obviously, just being aggressive, being assertive. Just trust in the work that I put in, and trust in the God-given talent that I've been blessed with. And so it's just fun to be able to contribute to helping my team out and just making a great impact.
What's been the biggest difference to you these last four games? The scoring's been there, but you've had at least six assists in three of the last four games. What's changed for you, I guess, in terms of helping?
COPELAND: Same thing that all these guys are saying. The team just trusted me with the ball and trusted I'm going to make the right decision. That's just all it really comes down to. I feel like we're also a new team. We're also still understanding each other. We did have the summer things. We're still understanding each other with live basketball, not just going against each other every day. We're going against other people now.
So we're just more understanding each other. I think just guys are doing a real good job of knowing how players play, knowing where D5 wants the ball at. I do a big job of trying to communicate to all our guys on and off the court. Where do you want the ball? D5, where you want the ball? Ven, how do you like this? How do you like that? As being a point guard, I have to do that and just find them in the right spots.
And I feel like they just makes it easy. As long as they catch it, we good. They make it easy. And I just build confidence in all my guys. I feel like every shot they shoot, no matter how it looks, no matter how our coach thinks, I think it's a good shot. I've seen them work on it. I've been there.
So I just always try to instill in them, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, regardless on how it looks. Or if you're feeling good, trust yourself regardless. And that helps me a lot when I'm moving it to them. And like I said, they make my job so much easier.
And then Ven and Matt, what's it like that you've got quite a few of your team? They'll find you anywhere on the floor, and you can get the easy shot off of them.
ABLE: Energy guy. I mean, the energy through the roof, he instills confidence in everybody. And I wouldn't say this if it was just us two, but it's my guy, man. I really look up to him in this college world. He's really helped me a lot. So that's my guy. That's my guy. He instills confidence in the whole team. And I really love him, man. That's my guy.
LUBIN: Yeah, just like what Matt said, he's a high-mortar guy, just coming in every day in practice, just installing. Just confidence in everybody, making sure the energy is high, just making sure that he's doing the best he can to make the team better, making each and every one of us better.
Just having communications on and off the court, and just being able to be a guy that we can just easily talk to, come to with, and just be like, hey, what do you think about this? What do you think about that? He just makes it so much easier for all of us just to find ways to get the flow of offense and defense going, because he's been with Coach Wade before, knowing his system.
And just being able to talk about it with us and know what he's looking for, and just the guys that want to play and want to work hard and be able to be reliable. And so I think just him being around and just being able to be with us, it's a blessing. We really appreciate it.
COPELAND: I appreciate them guys, too. I love both of them, everybody, too. They make my job as much as easy as they say. I'm making it easy for them. They're making my job much easier. So I do appreciate everybody, the guys. We're a family. We're a real brotherhood here, and I just want everybody to know that this is bigger than basketball to us.
Our goal is to win. Of course, be the best team, but it's bigger than basketball. We also have lifelong friendships and memories. We make here our lifelong memories we'll never forget. And I really feel like this is how close this group is.
So definitely appreciate you guys.
ABLE: Q was the first player to take a question for us, too, and turn it into his own question.
COPELAND: Smack.
