North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State-North Carolina Coaches Quotes
2/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NC State coach Jim Valvano
“For seven games, I think we lost with a lot of class and humility. Now that we’ve won, I told the kids we want to win the same way, with dignity. There’s no gloating on our part. I feel so good for Sid, Thurl and Whitt. We beat a great basketball program.
“In all our other games, Dean (Smith) has been kind and courteous to me. He said to me after the game today I’m happy for you.’ That’s the measure of a gentleman. I think he’s one heckuva man.
“I told our kids after Whitt went down that if we worked enough, something good would happen. It didn’t look that way because we lost some close ones, like
“I feel good with what these kids have accomplished. At the beginning of the season, I honestly felt we’d win a few like this. But it apparently wasn’t meant to be. That’s why this win is such a nice one.
“Cozell made some big plays, and Gannon hit some good 3-pointers. Had we shot our free throws, it would have been a little easier. These kids just wouldn’t quit, even when a lot of their shots weren’t falling. That’s got to make a coach feel good.
“I felt Terry would make at least three out of four. He made all four and then we scored again. Tunabout, I guess, is fair play. Remember we had a 16-point lead and the lead against
“If you take everything relative from where we were to where we went and then to win this one you gotta be happy.”
“We certainly congratulate NC State on a great victory. I’m happy for Coach Valvano, his staff and his players who were obviously fired up to beat
“We played with very good poise early. Neither team shot very well. They missed their foul shots at the end, but we couldn’t convert on the other end.
“I thought Sam Perkins played a great basketball game. Obviously, we’re not as good a team without Michael Jordan. But, fouls are part of the game.
“I’m really happy for Coach Valvano. I’ve heard all that talk about his not beating
“We’re a good basketball team that is going to get better.”
(About the two technicals): “Certainly those two technicals hurt. So did the first three fouls Mr. Burch called on Michael and the non-goaltending call on the shot by Perkins. I’ll be interested in see those plays on my Betamax.”
