LOCKER ROOM REPORT: Wolfpack Players

NC State guards Dereon Seabron and Cam Hayes met with the media following the Wolfpack's 65-57 win over Texas Southern Sunday evening.

Seabron recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds along with four assists and three steals. Hayes tacked on 11 points against the Tigers with four assists, three rebounds, and one steal.

NOTE: Click the video in the player above to watch the players’ interview.

Dereon Seabron
 

Are there any weight-room numbers or anything about you that’s stronger this year that’s helped you get inside?

No, I don’t have anything like that to talk about.

Tonight marks your fourth double-double in the early season. Did you expect to put up these numbers coming into the season?

Yeah. One of the big things after losing Manny [Bates] was that I knew I had to pick it up more on the boards and be a bigger team leader out there on the floor.

How much does your point-guard background help you do what you do now?

It helps a lot. I can get the board, push in transition, come down, and make the right play whether it’s scoring or finding the open man. A lot of teams switch one through four like we do, so I feel like, if I’ve got a bigger guy on me, I’m quicker and faster than them, and I can beat them to the rim.

You redshirted your first year, and it took you almost half the season last year to get into the flow of the game. How much did that wait motivate you to do what you’re doing now?

It motivated me a lot because I knew what I was capable of doing, but I had to wait my turn. I was playing behind a senior in Devon Daniels, so when he got hurt, I knew I had to step up, and I had the opportunity to show people how I do it.

Cam Hayes
 

You scored all your points after Jericole Hellems fouled out with 15 minutes to go. Was that a coincidence, or did you consciously step up your game and make more of an attempt to get to the basket?

I’d say that was a coincidence. I was just being aggressive and trying to make the right play the whole game. Cole went out, and he’s one of the biggest parts of our team. I might have stepped up a little bit more offensively.

Was a big part of the halftime message about crashing the boards?

Yeah, it was a big emphasis. Coming into the game, we knew they were a really big offensive rebounding team, and they out-rebounded us a lot in the first half. Coming in, Coach [Kevin] Keatts definitely emphasized that during the halftime speech, and I feel like we responded the whole second half.

Did you feel like you had to drive more and not settle for jumpers as often?

I just tried to be aggressive the whole game. The guards were small, and I could score against them wherever I wanted to, but I didn’t want to settle today like I did in the past couple of games, so I was a little more aggressive today.

On Seabron’s success…

They can’t guard him. That’s why.