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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

February 28, 2011

Paul Hewitt

THE MODERATOR: I'd like to welcome everybody to today's basketball teleconference. We have with us now Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt. Coach, a few comments about your team and we'll open it up for questions.
COACH HEWITT: Trying to build some momentum as we head into the ACC tournament. Thought we played well on Saturday, obviously not well enough to pull out a victory. Very pleased with the play of in particular Jason Morris, continues to improve and have a fine freshman season. Just getting ready for Wake Forest.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for Coach Hewitt.

Q. How is the insertion of Morris helping y'all run the offense and keeping the ball moving around on that end?
COACH HEWITT: Well, I think he is probably a little more - what's the word I'm looking for - less likely to attack off the dribble early. I think our ball movement be has been good since he's been in the rotation and I think we've gotten off to some good starts in games particularly because of that ball movement.

Q. I was wondering, can you think of any kinds of ways that Iman Shumpert could have given you any more than he has this season? He's leading in so many categories. Maybe selling popcorn during halftime.
COACH HEWITT: Not only has he played exceptionally well for us this year, but he's really grown as a player in terms of his off-the-court leadership, on-the-court leadership. He's really matured a lot.
He's done, as you mentioned, everything you can possibly do on the court. I know he's not pleased with his three-point shooting. I've tried to get him to separate shooting and playing well. Don't make yourself feel because you're not shooting the ball well you're not playing well. I think he's gotten his mind to separate those things.
I think he's improved his shot selection, especially from the three, taking fewer shots off the dribble from three. He has had an outstanding year. He's one of the best five players in the conference in my mind.

Q. Given it's a tough season record-wise, how has he continued to do that? Have you ever seen him get down a little bit at all or he just seems to go out and play pretty much the same every night out?
COACH HEWITT: Yeah, certainly after games when you get the final result, you walk back in the locker room, I think he gets down. He has an ability to get back out there the next day. He loves to work on his game, practice. He's always talking about trying to work hard and get better.
We were talking the other day after we got off the bus, trying to hell him to keep his head up. He was like, Coach, I'm looking forward to getting back and working hard.

Q. You mentioned that the goal was to build momentum for the tournament. How important is that to pick up your first road win so that you can have that confidence?
COACH HEWITT: Well, it would be nice to get that win. We've won a couple of good neutral-site games, being Richmond and El Paso.
Again, we've pulled a couple of good wins off on neutral-site situations. But we do have to try to get that, and this is our last opportunity to do it.

Q. You've been in a lot of close games. As the season has gone on, do you sense your players believe in those tight situations, do they have the confidence needed?
COACH HEWITT: Yeah, one of the things I have noticed and am very pleased, they don't have that look on their face where, Here we go again. I think each and every game is a new opportunity. I think that's how they look at it.
The other day against NC State, we felt like we were right there again. Didn't make a play here or there. NC State was able to make a play. We came up short.
No, I don't sense that at all. I think the enthusiasm is great coming down the stretch. We're just not making enough plays.

Q. Up this way, Virginia is redshirting a freshman big man, Johnson. I know you did something similar to that with Daniel Miller last year. Was that Daniel's decision or your decision? As you look back, how much did he benefit from it?
COACH HEWITT: It was a mutual thing. He actually, when he signed here, talked about the potential of redshirting, knowing we had so many quality big guys. It's benefited him greatly, no question about it. I do feel that the year out of competition and playing the minutes he's played from a physical standpoint has hit him a little bit. He's kind of hit the wall a little bit not playing competitively for a year.
But from a gaining strength, understanding of the college game, adjusting to college, it's been a real positive. I think most kids who redshirt, after they go through the experience, will tell you it's a great idea. Sometimes it's hard to get kids to put their egos aside and say, What am I going to say to the guys back home if I'm redshirting?
I'm sure James will find it to be a positive experience as he starts next season.

Q. Your first year at Georgia Tech was the year the tournament was in Atlanta and they had the dome, the Final Four atmosphere. Have you seen a change in the atmosphere, the focus, anything about the tournament at Georgia Tech?
COACH HEWITT: The last time we had it at the dome, I guess attendance was off from what it was in 2001. I think the last time we had it there was 2009, if I'm not mistaken. From what I've heard from national reports, USA Today did a story that attendance is off pretty much across the board.
You do see I guess a drop a little bit. But I'm imagining that probably has a lot more to do with the economy, people not being able to afford to go out and pay for the hotel room for three days or two days, tickets, things like that.

Q. Have you seen any change in the way teams or coaches or players seem to approach it?
COACH HEWITT: I haven't. You hear a lot of talk. But I think once the ball goes up, the ACC is still in my mind, to win that title, is one of the most prestigious things in all of college basketball, short of winning a national championship.
I think when the ball goes up, the games are intense. When we made it to the final last year, I didn't feel in any way people felt like let's just get past the tournament and get on to something else. When it's going on, it's hotly contested.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for taking time being with us today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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