Here is what NC State coach Kevin Keatts said on the Wolfpack Radio Network.
How did you view the last few possessions of the game?
“We had foul calls that went against us. I thought we had a great look (with the last possession). I just think we should have never been in that position. I thought we got a good stop. I thought Ebi [Dowuona] had his hands back [on the foul]. I thought obviously we got a stop and get the ball back. We had a foul call on us, and that’s tough to overcome, especially when you think you played solid defense. I am just not happy with that at all.”
Does luck sometimes play a role with Jesse Edwards making his only 3-pointer of the season, and then Judah Mintz had one off a scramble sequence?
“Big plays and that is what ACC basketball is. It was a great college game. If you watched, it was a great game. I just love to let the players decide the game and make shots. Jesse made a great shot. Judah made a great shot. Terquavion Smith made great shots. I just want the players to determine the game.”
How did you handle all the foul trouble the Wolfpack had tonight?
“That is something as a coach we do. I thought Ebi did a good job in D.J. [Burns’] absence. I thought we played really well enough to win. It was a tough road game. They do a great job here. I just wanted our guys to have a legitimate chance to win the game at the end. I thought we could have had that.”
NC State had 21 assists on 30 made baskets. What did you think of the shots?
“I thought we had a good game plan. We had some guys in the first half who didn’t shoot the ball as well. I thought we had a good game plan. We made the right plays. I thought we made the right decisions. Any time you get 21 assists against their zone…it was just a back-and-forth game. It was a game of runs. They played well and we played well, but unfortunately it didn’t go our way at the end.”
NC State took 34 three-point shots out of 72. Was that part of the plan?
“I thought we had to take at least 30 three-pointers because they stretch it out. You have to take those shots. I am OK with that.”
Senior point guard Jarkel Joiner had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, the fourth triple-double probably in NC State history. How special was that?
“That’s special. He has bounced back ever since the Boston College game. He has played really good basketball. He has been solid for us the entire year. I’m happy the way he played. He is playing like a senior. He is playing like a leader. Even though he had the triple-double, we don’t talk about the defense he played tonight. That is good company to be in.”
Junior power forward Jack Clark had 15 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes. What did you think?
“It was good. We needed another guy who could make shots and finish in the back line of the zone. It was good to see Jack settle in. He played some meaningful and good basketball.”
What was your message to the team?
“We fought. That is all you can ask of your team. Did we do everything right? No. Did we dig ourself a little bit of a hole? Did we get in foul trouble? Absolutely. That is all part of the process and part of the game. I thought our guys fought. It was a game that could easily go either way. We have to learn from it and move on, and shake it off.”
How did you view the last few possessions of the game?
“We had foul calls that went against us. I thought we had a great look (with the last possession). I just think we should have never been in that position. I thought we got a good stop. I thought Ebi [Dowuona] had his hands back [on the foul]. I thought obviously we got a stop and get the ball back. We had a foul call on us, and that’s tough to overcome, especially when you think you played solid defense. I am just not happy with that at all.”
Does luck sometimes play a role with Jesse Edwards making his only 3-pointer of the season, and then Judah Mintz had one off a scramble sequence?
“Big plays and that is what ACC basketball is. It was a great college game. If you watched, it was a great game. I just love to let the players decide the game and make shots. Jesse made a great shot. Judah made a great shot. Terquavion Smith made great shots. I just want the players to determine the game.”
How did you handle all the foul trouble the Wolfpack had tonight?
“That is something as a coach we do. I thought Ebi did a good job in D.J. [Burns’] absence. I thought we played really well enough to win. It was a tough road game. They do a great job here. I just wanted our guys to have a legitimate chance to win the game at the end. I thought we could have had that.”
NC State had 21 assists on 30 made baskets. What did you think of the shots?
“I thought we had a good game plan. We had some guys in the first half who didn’t shoot the ball as well. I thought we had a good game plan. We made the right plays. I thought we made the right decisions. Any time you get 21 assists against their zone…it was just a back-and-forth game. It was a game of runs. They played well and we played well, but unfortunately it didn’t go our way at the end.”
NC State took 34 three-point shots out of 72. Was that part of the plan?
“I thought we had to take at least 30 three-pointers because they stretch it out. You have to take those shots. I am OK with that.”
Senior point guard Jarkel Joiner had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, the fourth triple-double probably in NC State history. How special was that?
“That’s special. He has bounced back ever since the Boston College game. He has played really good basketball. He has been solid for us the entire year. I’m happy the way he played. He is playing like a senior. He is playing like a leader. Even though he had the triple-double, we don’t talk about the defense he played tonight. That is good company to be in.”
Junior power forward Jack Clark had 15 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes. What did you think?
“It was good. We needed another guy who could make shots and finish in the back line of the zone. It was good to see Jack settle in. He played some meaningful and good basketball.”
What was your message to the team?
“We fought. That is all you can ask of your team. Did we do everything right? No. Did we dig ourself a little bit of a hole? Did we get in foul trouble? Absolutely. That is all part of the process and part of the game. I thought our guys fought. It was a game that could easily go either way. We have to learn from it and move on, and shake it off.”
