NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL FINAL - SAINT PETER'S VS NORTH CAROLINA

March 27, 2022

Hubert Davis

Armando Bacot

Brady Manek

Caleb Love

RJ Davis

Leaky Black

Wells Fargo Center

North Carolina Tar Heels

Elite 8 Postgame Media Conference

North Carolina 69, Saint Peter's 49

THE MODERATOR: We'll be joined by head coach Hubert Davis and student-athletes Armando Bacot, Brady Manek, Caleb Love, RJ Davis and Leaky Black. Questions?

Q. Leaky, the mentality that you guys came out with against this team, knowing that they had already slayed a couple of giants, whatever, you guys looked like you weren't here to play around, you weren't here to settle against your competition. Could you speak on that level of intensity that you guys had especially on the defensive end?

LEAKY BLACK: We just wanted to play North Carolina basketball. They hang their hat on punching teams in the mouth, being the underdog, that kind of thing. We just had to let them know it wasn't going to happen tonight. That's pretty much it.

Q. Leaky, the longest embrace that Coach gave when you guys came off the court was with you. What does that mean to you? What does that symbolize? When he was hugging you guys when he came off, the one with you was longer than the other guys. Obviously you've been around. What does that symbolize and mean to you?

LEAKY BLACK: I feel like it was a good hug. We just didn't want to let go. It was a good little moment. Get my little pic with him. And that's pretty much it.

Q. What does it mean for you to reach the Final Four in Coach Davis's first year?

ARMANDO BACOT: For me, specifically, it means everything, because since I've been here, my first two years was just so tough. And people kind of pushed North Carolina to the side and saying how we were done and all this and that. And I'm just so glad to make it to the Final Four, finally, and kind of cement myself. We're not done yet. But just so you know, cement myself and us as a team, me and Leaky, specifically, to be able to say we won.

LEAKY BLACK: Like what he said. Me and Armando, it's been a roller coaster the past few years, been laughed at on social media. It feels good to get the last laugh right here, but we're not done yet.

Q. When you guys see Coach Davis get emotional at the end of the game and seeing how emotionally invested he is in you guys and your success, what does it mean when you can see your leader caring that much for your success in the long term?

CALEB LOVE: It shows how much he cares about us and cares about the game. We knew all along how much -- like his passion and we carried that with us. We feed off him and his energy and so that's why you see us playing so hard for him. It's his first year. So we wanted to go all out for him.

Q. Brady, this is why you came to Carolina, big moments and the teammates want to put the net around your neck. What did that mean? What did this moment mean to you?

BRADY MANEK: It's unbelievable. I actually just got done talking with Ms. Davis about how a kid from Oklahoma ends up in North Carolina and somehow has a fifth year. That's unbelievable. It's been an unbelievable story so far. It's not over yet.

Q. Armando, having been around this program, what is the Final Four game against Duke going to mean to both of these teams, the first time Duke and UNC have ever played in the tournament?

ARMANDO BACOT: I don't really want to answer that right now. It's a good question. But I can't answer it right now. Coach will get mad at me.

Q. You guys were plus-16 on the glass. You guys won the turnover battle and you won the 3-point line. Was that emphasized when you guys looked at the film? Were those points emphasized for the game plan?

RJ DAVIS: Definitely, we knew the game plan going into this game. We know when we take care of the ball, defense -- we play defense and we offensive rebound, we know we'll be successful. Coming into the game, we just wanted to play Carolina basketball and that was evident tonight.

Q. Brady and Leaky have the nets around their neck. Was there any process about who was going to get to sport that coming to the podium tonight?

ARMANDO BACOT: I would say they're playing great for us and they're our two senior guys. We just wanted to make it special for them.

Q. Caleb and Armando, Coach Davis talked about ignoring distractions, but tonight it was a neutral crowd but there were a lot of Saint Peter's fans and things of that nature. What did you think of that coming into the game? Of course when the initial boos coming from the crowd did you have any thoughts on that? What was it like playing with that unique atmosphere?

CALEB LOVE: They're probably close to Philly, so...

Coming into the game, we weren't worried about who was going to be in the crowd or anything like that. We were focused on winning the game. Like I said in the interview before, we were just going to stick to the game plan. And that's exactly what we did and we came out with the win.

Q. Caleb, yesterday you talked -- and Friday you scored 30 and then tonight you were more of a facilitator controlling the pace. Do you think you showed all different aspects of your game? What did that mean to the team?

CALEB LOVE: I'm not just a scorer. I can pass too. And that's what Coach Davis and this team needs from me. And so when I facilitate, it opens up everything else, and we 're a lot better when I'm facilitating.

Q. Armando, you came in today knowing a win gets you into the Final Four, but were the emotions at the end any surprise? Did it catch you by surprise how emotional you guys were to close this thing out and advance on?

ARMANDO BACOT: I would just say even from the beginning of the year, I mean that was one of our biggest goals to just get to the Final Four. We never wanted to look past Saint Peter's because they've been a great team and they beat two teams that beat us. But towards the end, once I realized we were really going to the Final Four, it started to sink in and definitely started getting emotional. Me and all the players and the coaches too, because we battled through so much this year. And just to have the fight and adversity just to get through all this, it was special.

Q. Caleb and RJ, they're guard oriented, do a lot of stuff on the perimeter and run the weave and that kind of stuff, but you guys disrupted that a lot in the first half. What was the main emphasis to disrupt what they were doing?

RJ DAVIS: We knew as a team they had good guards. They rely on the guards play, so it was about pressuring the guards and disrupting their offensive flow through the guards. Once we were able to get into them on ball coverages, pick-and-rolls and disrupted it a little bit, it was good for us.

CALEB LOVE: To piggyback on what he said, it's not just their guards. We were focusing on them, but it's not just one-on-one. It's 1 on 5. Coach Davis preached on that and we're not on an island when we're guarding those guards. And we know we've got the help on the backside.

Q. Coach, you've had this feeling before, with this university going to the Final Four as a player, and then as an assistant coach and year one as a head coach. How do you put those feelings into perspective?

HUBERT DAVIS: Well, it was really emotional towards the end of the game when we can finally settle in and realize that these guys are going to a Final Four. It was something that I just desperately wanted for them. This is probably the most nervous I was before a game, because I just really wanted them to go to the Final Four. And it's something that we had talked about at the beginning of the season. And then in the huddle I told them that it's not a hope, it's not a dream anymore, it's a reality.

And for these guys to have this experience, to be able to go to the Final Four, brings so much joy to my heart.

Q. I was saying earlier you guys got written off so many times this year, what kind of lessons can you draw from the fact that here you are now headed to the Final Four?

HUBERT DAVIS: I think I always tell the guys, or anybody, if I'm only coaching basketball, then I need to quit or be fired. I'm not just a basketball coach. My job is to help and to teach and to care for them on the court, off the court, and in the classroom.

And we use basketball as teachable life moments. And this season is giving these guys an opportunity to see what hard work does, perseverance, resiliency, togetherness. It's a great lesson for them, not just in basketball, but in life.

And to see their smiles and see how happy they are, see the tears of joy at the end of the game and on the floor and in the locker room is something that you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Q. You've been here longest with Leaky, four years. During that time he's battled criticism, injury, COVID. What does it mean to be able to see him experience this type of moment?

HUBERT DAVIS: It is -- he committed to Carolina early because he wanted to be a part of this program. He wanted to be here. And because of injury, because of other things, he just hadn't found a rhythm here at Carolina, and this year he has. He's been healthy for the first time in his career. He has settled into his role. He understands what he can do and what he can do really well, and he's just -- the way that he plays defense, the way that he takes care of the basketball and makes instinctive plays for our team, his energy and his passion, his love for this program and for this team -- he's not someone that talks a lot, but by his actions he's a leader.

And for everything that he's gone through -- like, we went to the Sweet 16 his freshman year, but he didn't play very much. And then the other two years we didn't go to the NCAA Tournament. Then we lost last year in the first round. It was really important for him and Armando. I wanted them to experience success here at Carolina and now they are.

Q. You are only the ninth coach in history to make it to the Final Four in your first season. And the first one to do it in 33 years. I know you talk about it being for your team, but how special is it for you to see all your hard work as an assistant coach pay off on the biggest stage?

HUBERT DAVIS: It is. I know maybe it's hard to believe or understand, but it really isn't about me at all. I've been to a Final Four as a player and as a coach. I played at Carolina. I played in the NBA. It's not my time; it's their time.

And so the satisfaction that I have is when things work out for our kids, and that's what brings me joy. And I don't know how you do the job any other way but with a heart of service and appreciation for the kids.

This has nothing to do about me. This is 100 percent about them. And so I am so happy right now because I can't wait for them to walk into that stadium and see how big that place is. I can't wait for them to see the hotel with their pictures all over the place. I can't wait to have that practice on Saturday and have that feeling, only four teams are practicing that day. And I can't wait until they run out of that tunnel and it's 80,000 watching them play.

Like, I know what they're going to see and experience. I think we're scheduled to leave on Wednesday. I'd like to leave tonight. I want to get there tonight. (Laughter).

Q. Your team went to bed knowing exactly who's coming ahead if you win this game. How impressed were you with their focus today and not getting caught up in what's going to be pretty crazy?

HUBERT DAVIS: We don't get focused on that. I don't think anything can be as crazy as the game leading up the game over in Cameron. As I said before, we keep our eyes straight ahead and we ignore all the noise. And I consistently tell them to turn down or turn off the noise of the phone, family and friends. If you do that -- just focus on our preparation and our practice and if you do that, then our play will be good. And that's what we're going to do this upcoming week.

Q. Hearing what Armando and Leaky said about the past two years, kind of the low points of it. How important was it -- first, did you kind of feel the same way as the low points, if you will? And did you feel a certain need to reestablish kind of the standard or the brand by getting back to the Final Four like this?

HUBERT DAVIS: I felt like over the past couple of years we lost -- I don't know if it was respect from other programs, from other teams because of the last couple of years. But it's just really important for me, for those guys, to -- I didn't want them to have the experiences that they had the last couple of years. And that's not typical North Carolina. And I want them to be respected. I want this program to be respected. And I feel like this year we have moved in the right direction with that.

Q. This program's obviously been in your blood a long time. You know what Duke and UNC means. What's your perspective on that game happening in the Final Four next week and what it means for your program and for the sport?

HUBERT DAVIS: I haven't thought about it at all. The only thing on my mind is celebrating with the rest of the players on what just happened today. Next week will be next week. And we'll deal with that next week. But right now I don't want to think about next week and lose the moment of today.

There's so much joy and there's so much happiness and thankfulness and appreciation. I want to stay there. There's enough time to go to our game next week. I want to enjoy today.

Q. Keeping it with today, right after the handshake line, we noticed you got pretty emotional there. You broke down a little bit. What was going on in your mind at that time?

HUBERT DAVIS: Not just this game, it's been a wild 11 and a half months. And I've said a number of times it's been so busy the last 11 and a half months, I haven't really had time to think. And it was the first time that I can remember in the last 11 and a half months that I could take a deep breath, and it just came out. It's not just this year. It's everything. What this job has meant to me, how it's impacted my wife and my kids, the players, their parents, recruiting. It's just been a lot. And when I finally could take a deep breath and it looked like we were going to win, I just couldn't hold it in.

Q. My question is similar. I want you to be a little bit more specific about maybe the first memory that comes to mind from this whirlwind 11 and a half months that it's been for you and the one that makes it so gratifying for you to be at this position now where you're taking this team to the Final Four. What memory comes to you first out of the past 11 and a half months?

HUBERT DAVIS: Oh, my gosh. I always say I want stories and testimonies and memories for the players. And them getting those, I've got them myself. I remember the feeling walking out of that tunnel for the press conference. I remember getting on the bus for the first time and I was sitting in the front for the first time. That was different. (Laughter). I remember the first practice and getting at mid-court, and putting together a practice plan. I remember coming out of the tunnel for the first time as head coach. I remember going on the road. I remember everything. It's been an unbelievable year filled with so many memories and stories and testimonies, that I don't have time enough to think about them. But we have seven, eight more days, and then I'll sit by the pool and chill out and think about them. (Laughter).

Q. In addition to the service to the kids, how about the program, what Coach Smith, Coach Guthridge and Coach Williams and being the next one in line to keep that going, what does that mean to you of upholding the program and did you speak to Roy this weekend?

HUBERT DAVIS: I didn't. I didn't speak to Coach Williams, but when we were up on the podium, I looked right at him and I told him thank you.

My foundation is giving an opportunity and a chance. Like I don't play at Carolina, I don't play in the NBA, ESPN, assistant coach, anything like that without someone giving me a chance and opportunity. That's what I tell the guys, whoever plays with me is going to get a chance and opportunity because that's the foundation piece for me.

I'm not sitting up here right now without Coach Williams. He gave me a chance and an opportunity to be the next head coach, to lead this program, to be a part of this team. And it's very important that we give everything to the players, but you know, you're right. It's very important for Coach Smith and Coach Guthridge and Coach Williams, I really want them to be proud. Just really important to me. And I want every player that played for Coach Smith, Coach Guthridge and Coach Williams, I want them, whether it's in person, TV, highlights, I want them to be able to identify and go, that's the Carolina I went to.

It's really important for me that this program, with my own personality in my own shoes, looks exactly like the program that Coach Smith, Coach Guthridge, and Coach Williams ran.

Q. Piggybacking on that, the symmetry of sports is pretty random. And you're the first rookie head coach since Bill Guthridge to take his team to the Final Four. What are some of your memories of Coach Guthridge?

HUBERT DAVIS: Just his belief in me, and somebody that wasn't a high school All-American, and his belief in me as a person. And I just wish he was here. And I wish that I could give him a hug, and I hope I'm making him proud.

One of the things I do is I pray all the time that Jesus would put good people in my kids' life, like Coach Smith, Coach Guthridge, and Coach Williams. People that genuinely care for you, that there's no hidden agenda, they're genuinely on your side. And Coach Guthridge was one of those people.