The highlights.
- The week off: Roy likes the week break late in the season which started happening last season. He hates that it came after a loss since he wants to get back on the court after a loss.
- This week's practices were tough. This is surprising to absolutely no one.
- The Maryland game: According to Roy, in 21 years as a head coach he has never seen his team do as much to help the other team win as UNC did on Saturday. He also pointed out that media and fans think everything that happens is about UNC but the other team makes plays too which Maryland did. All that being said, Roy said his focus was on what the Heels did wrong and he thought only having five assists and having 16 shots off one pass or less was "stupid basketball."
- Concerning Tyler Hansbrough's foul situation: Roy says nothing in Hansbrough's game has contributed to the lack of free throws. Roy implied that the officiating is the problem but pointed out that he had to be very careful what he said lest the Arm of Swofford reach out and strike him with many fines. Well, I made that last part up. Anyway, Roy has discussed it with the ACC. No word on whether they lauged at him or not.
- On the defense in the losses: Roy felt like the offense was the bigger problem in the first two losses. Against Maryland Roy felt like the offensive problems at the end of the game along with poor defense created issues. He pointed out that had the Heels taken three straight shot clock violations up nine with two minutes left they would win the game. There is also the fact the team simply did not make big plays in this game as they did versus FSU and Duke.
- On Tyler Hansbrough: "The standard I will always compare people when it comes to focus and work ethic." Roy told Deon Thompson if he wanted to be successful, he should do what Hansbrough does.
- Back to Hansbrough foul situation: "If he gets called for a reach in foul then blood should at least be a foul on the other end." Roy acknowledges that Hansbrough does create contact but implies that what the defenders do in return exceeds what is appropriate.
- Hansbrough has not missed practice since December due to the shin issue.
- Roy asked whether he would take a pay cut if it was required or would he do so voluntarily which you knew was coming since Jim Calhoun got burned on this last week. Said he was unable to answer that question but says he is plenty sensitive to the financial situation because his son, Scott called him last night to say he had lost his job. Roy also indicated that he gives money to UNC and on two occasions has turned down Dick Baddour's offer to renegotiate his contract even though it was required by the contract to do so. The bottom line for Roy? There is a good answer except he won't tell you to shut up like Jim Calhoun did. Does sort of make a gaffe by saying he is not paid with state funds. About $260,000 of his salary is state funds the rest of the around $1.8 million comes from other places. In the end he seems to imply that he feels he gives so much back to UNC in various forms that his conscience is clear when it comes to his salary amid the financial times.
- Asked about Dean Smith and close games: Roy said Dean did it better than he did against Maryland. Credited Dean as being "magnificent" in the way his teams handled the end of game situations. Roy says maybe he needed to work on it more.