NC State-Utah Coaches Quotes

March 24, 1983

NC State coach Jim Valvano

 

“We watched a good deal of film and were very impressed with Utah’s man-to-man defense. They really pack it in. We felt we had the opportunity to take the outside shot and were so convinced we could get that shot tonight that we planned on playing the three guards as much as we did.

“We felt Utah would come out in the second half smoking and that’s exactly what happened. We changed defenses often. I was impressed with their passing game and was impressed with Williams’ shooting and all of the things that Mannion can do. We just tried not to let them get into their rhythm.

“Charles has really become a force underneath. I can’t emphasize enough the improvement Lorenzo has made. Before, we were so dependent upon the three seniors, but Lorenzo has been getting double-figures in points and close to double-figures in rebounding.

“If I can have a lead with Bailey scoreless, I feel good because I know Thurl is going to score. At the end of the game our kids said Who should we foul?’ and I said No, not this game. That was the other five games.’

“We had more control this game than in the other post-season games, where we had more of a frenzied type of game. We felt we had the opportunity to control the game if we didn’t get behind. When our lead started to grow, we realized the pressure starts to mount on the other team.

NC State senior guard Dereck Whittenburg

“The team had a lot of confidence in me. We knew they were going to slough off on our big men. In the second half, they came up on me, so I had an opportunity to drive. We don’t care who we play Saturday, as long as we can play hard.”

NC State senior guard Sidney Lowe

 

“I like to be in control of the game. After the first half, we were still in control. We were trying to run the offense, but we just go the ball to Dereck and he made sure the job was done from there. I wasn’t thinking that Thurl wasn’t on, I just knew that Dereck was on.”

Utah coach Jerry Pimm

(on Dereck Whittenburg’s performance): “He was unbelievable. We kinda thought they were good, but we didn’t think they were this good. I really believe we did a good job of defending for about 25 minutes. I thought we did an excellent job of defending them, but the shots they were putting up, they were hitting. Those were 3-point shots in the pros.

“In the last five minute, as I’ve gathered my thoughts, I don’t know what we would have done differently to combat that. They were just a whole lot better tonight at the offensive end. I can’t really fault our defense.”

(Crowd as a game factor): “I really didn’t think they would be a factor going into the game. Both teams had proven they can win on the road. I didn’t think it would be a factor to make them play poorly, but I hoped it would be a factor to boost us up. State was smart. Most times, when we were into it and hit a couple of shots, they didn’t come down and try to beat us with one quick shot. They moved it, and the shot they took was the shot they wanted some of them long jumpers.

Utah senior Peter Williams

(Compare NC State to Illinois and UCLA):  “First of all, I would have to say that North Carolina State is a more physical team. They played better as a team than UCLA did, and I think that’s evident by the score. Both teams are talented, and the reason they are successful is that they play good team ball.”

Utah senior Pace Mannion

“I think Sidney Lowe keeps that team together. When they got the shots, they hit a high percentage of them.”

North Carolina State University Athletics

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