Hear what Hubert Davis and players had to say after UNC basketball's win over Wagner

The UNC basketball program pulled away in the second half to defeat Wagner in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

Armando Bacot and Jae'Lyn Withers were the stars for the Tar Heels, as both big men recorded double-doubles in the win. RJ Davis led all scorers with 22 points, as North Carolina advances to the second round against Michigan State on Saturday.

After the game, Hubert Davis and his players spoke to the media about the win. You can check out the full media session below:

Here's a look at some of the best quotes from the media session.

Hubert Davis on Withers' early impact

"I think he did set the tone. I felt like in the first half at times we were out of character from the standpoint we weren't finishing the defensive possession with a rebound. When we did, we always talk about making the easy play, limiting turnovers. I think we had six in the first half, and they were all unforced. But J-Wit, his energy and effort on both ends of the floor really ignited us and got us the lead going into halftime. He came off the bench, and his production was real."

Jae'Lyn Withers on his performance in his hometown

"It's extremely rewarding. Obviously having a double-double in front of all those fans and my family, and contributing to the win is great. It's obviously first time in the tournament, so to do that in my first game is surreal."

Just going off of that, Jae'Lyn, you're from Charlotte. What does it mean to you to have the game you did today and just having the opportunity to play in your hometown?

"It's extremely rewarding. Obviously having a double-double in front of all those fans and my family, and contributing to the win is great. It's obviously first time in the tournament, so to do that in my first game is surreal.

It means a lot. The last outing that I had, or we had here when we played Oklahoma, kind of got into foul trouble and ended up not really having the best playing time, I guess. So I think I kind of wanted to make a statement this game."

Armando Bacot on playing basketball in March

"It's a great feeling. I've enjoyed this whole year just being back with so many great teammates and a great coaching staff. We've had a lot of fun, and we don't plan on going home soon. That's really it."

Bacot on why he has played so well in the NCAA Tournament

"It's win or go home. If you lose, you go home. It's just one of those things that's an even more sense of urgency to just go out there and play my best. All year we've worked to get to this point. So just super locked in and trying to win."