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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

February 28, 2011

Frank Haith

THE MODERATOR: We have with us Miami head football coach Frank Haith. Coach, a few comments about your team, then we'll open it up for questions.
COACH HAITH: Obviously we're coming off a week of two road games, splitting those games, winning at Boston College where I thought we played pretty good in terms of our first half. I thought we were outstanding offensively and defensively. Then going down to Tallahassee on Saturday where we got off to a tough start, weren't able to finish that game off.
Glad to be back home. Obviously got a big game on Wednesday against Maryland.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for Coach Haith.

Q. Coach, not getting to see you guys every game, the decision to bring Reggie Johnson off the bench, what's behind that?
COACH HAITH: Team rule. Team rule. That's all it was at Boston College. Obviously, we got off to a great start and we just didn't in the Florida State game. Nothing more than just not being somewhere where he needed to be on time.

Q. Since it was two games, that's what I was wondering.
COACH HAITH: Exactly. Other than that, we had a great start. Those guys played well. That's why we continued on Saturday. But that's all that was.

Q. Strange question, but have you ever had a cheerleader get a technical or a band member or something like that?
COACH HAITH: No. But that would have been tough if that turned out another way in terms of winning that game in the Louisville game. Never been a part of nothing like that. That was pretty bizarre, to be honest with you. That's why you probably have to educate your fan base, Don't come on the court until the clock hits zero (laughter).

Q. Maryland is one of those teams that sort of has been clumped in the middle of the standings, but they played awfully well in some spots on the road. What are the kinds of problems that they present? You would start with Jordan Williams. Their freshman point guard Terrell seems to be playing well also.
COACH HAITH: When you look at their team, they're really gifted offensively. I mean, they're averaging close to 80 points a game in league play. A lot of it has to do with Stoglin's play as a freshman. You mentioned Jordan Williams. I think Gregory, Tucker, Mosley, they've got some guys that can put the ball in the hoop.
Their transition game, when you think of transition game, running fast-break basketball, you think of North Carolina. I think Maryland is not far behind them in terms of how intense they get the ball up the court. You have to get back and set your defense.
Their transition in terms of ability to put points on the board is what scares you the most. You have to take care of the basketball against them. Their pressure sometimes can turn it over, and they convert those to points, too.

Q. These last two games before the tournament, what are the really key things for your team to accomplish just to give yourselves a boost going into the tournament?
COACH HAITH: Well, we want to win, get some momentum going into the tournament. I think we've played well the last half of the year. Obviously, it hasn't resulted in a number of wins and losses that we would have liked to have had here at the end of the year.
We've been in every game. Even the last ballgame against Florida State, we got down big, but we turned it to a one-possession game. Two minutes left in the game, wasn't able to finish it. I'd say this team is close. Next step for us is to get two wins going into the tournament and give us a little momentum going into the ACC tournament.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the play of Garrius Adams. Double figures in seven of your last 12 games.
COACH HAITH: I think he's really coming on. Being that fourth scorer, so to speak, with he and Adrian Thomas. He's really getting more comfortable out there. He's one of those guys that can score a lot of different ways in terms he can shoot the ball, nice midrange game. Another thing I've been encouraged is his ability to rebound the basketball has really helped us.
I challenged the team, because Reggie has been our best rebounder, but I wanted some other guys to step up. He's been one of those guys that stepped up in that category.
But his production offensively has really increased. I think his best basketball is ahead of him.

Q. I know you talked before about growing up around here, the role the ACC tournament has played. Have you seen any change in the intensity or the focus or the interest in the tournament in recent years?
COACH HAITH: I haven't. Obviously I think that I always talk about it being in Greensboro. I think it's a great place for the tournament because of what you just talked about, the passion, the energy I think is there. Obviously, our numbers were down last year from an attendance standpoint. I don't know that I can point to one factor why that was other than the economy and maybe a little bit because Carolina wasn't at the top. The fan base in the area are Carolina fans.
I don't know. I can't point my finger to it. I don't feel overall, being in this league seven years, that it's slipped. It's always to me the greatest tournament there is in college basketball.

Q. Have the fans in Miami embraced it yet? Do they seem to understand what you do, the historical position this tournament has?
COACH HAITH: I think it's something that is a process that is still learning. We're growing. We're getting better. I don't know that you can just have someone know that this quickly, being seven years in the league, of something over 50 years has been a tremendous passionate tournament.
The teams in this league all have great tradition. We're developing our tradition. We had 15 years without basketball. Basketball was just brought back in the '70s. Basketball is still growing here, college basketball in particular. So we haven't got that intensity yet, but it's getting better.
THE MODERATOR: Thanks for taking time being with us today.
COACH HAITH: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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