Coach Wojo and Coach Collins discuss what it takes to win in our league
1. YOU HAVE TO PLAY ALL 40 MINUTES
To win a game in the ACC, you have to play hard and together for all 40 minutes. If you don’t, you have a chance to lose.
2. YOU REMEMBER THE LOSSES
We take losing hard. There have been times after a road loss when we get back to school and have to practice. You get off the bus after the game and Coach says, “Get your practice gear on. We’re not going to wait until tomorrow. We’re going to get this right, now.” That opens your eyes as a young player and you realize this is a big deal. In general, the practices and atmosphere around the program after a loss set a tone that losing is not going to become a habit.
3. IT STARTS WITH OUR CULTURE
Coach K does an amazing job creating that culture where we are going to do the things needed to win. That sense of urgency is there. Coach K’s will, passion, and competitiveness really set the tone. When you have Duke across your chest, it means you are going to be a winning team and program. That culture creates winning habits.
4. DEFENSE IS THE CALLING CARD…
Defense is our calling card when we play our best. Shots aren’t always going to fall so it’s critical we have consistent defensive effort every game. We’ve had six-minute stretches this year where we held our opponent scoreless, or to two or four points. That obviously helps you win and also produces scoring runs…
5. …AND LEADS TO GAME-CHANGING SCORING RUNS
When your defense keeps your opponent off the board, you get a chance to go on a run where you might score 16 or 18 points. There’s not a lot of separation in our league so those scoring runs can make the difference between not only winning and losing a game, but also winning the conference title and finishing .500 in the league. The runs start on the defensive end with getting stops. Some of the live-ball turnovers can turn into fastbreaks and easy buckets as well.
6. YOU HATE TO LOSE MORE THAN YOU LIKE WIN
If you asked our guys, they would tell you they hate to lose more than they like to win. If you talk to any great competitor in any sport, I think they would say the same thing. As a result, when we don’t play our best and lose, which is going to happen in a great conference like the ACC, guys have responded really well.
7. EMBRACE THE INTENSITY
There’s no doubt that when the calendar hits January, the intensity of the season takes on a whole new level with ACC play starting. The passion for college basketball, especially in this area with Duke, North Carolina, NC State, and Wake, makes this the best time of year around here. For our team and players, that intensity and excitement should be energizing. As players, you love the big-time atmospheres and the spotlight, especially in Cameron. The Crazies give us great support and that passion can help us take care of business at home.
8. CONSISTENT, THOROUGH PREPARATION IS KEY
Just like winning is a habit, losing is a habit. You have to understand how fragile a season can be. You can lose focus and not play well and lose a game. Then you play well next game and you still can lose in this conference. So, you have to punch your own ticket to win in the ACC and get in the NCAA Tournament. You can’t take any game for granted or have a sustained lack of effort or focus, or you will really regret it. There needs to be intense preparation for every single game that makes you even more aggressive than you normally would be.
Tags: "chris collins", "steve wojciechowski", acc
