Five Questions With Derek Dixon: 'We're Only Promised One More Game'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Lost amongst the disappointment that has come alongside North Carolina’s last two games, has been the upward trend of Derek Dixon. 

The Tar Heels’ freshman point guard is 11-of-18 (61.1 percent) from the field over UNC’s last two contests, including 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) from beyond the arc, while posting five assists to one turnover. Thursday night against Clemson, the Tar Heel freshman scored 11 points over the final 3:23 of action to help fuel UNC’s scone half comeback attempt. Last Saturday in Cameron Indoor Stadium, Dixon went for a career-high 17 points.

Dixon’s recent uptick in production comes on the heels of a February that saw him hit the freshman wall, going 14-for-53 (26.4 percent) from the floor, including 8-of-35 (22.9 percent) from beyond the arc. 

His three-game March totals are 14.0 points, 2.3 assists (with a 3.5 A:T ratio), 1.7 steals, while shooting 12-for-18 from three (66.7 percent).

Here are five questions with Dixon following UNC’s loss to Clemson Thursday night… 

What was the biggest difference from the first 33 minutes to the final seven? 

Derek Dixon: “I think we just locked in, fought harder, tried to change the tempo of the game a little bit with the press. Found some things that were working, but you know, we just have to have that same fight for the whole game.”

Is that comeback something you can hang your hat on as you go into the NCAA Tournament? 

Dixon: “We know we can compete with anybody, but we lost the game, and that’s what matters in the end. I mean, I guess we could try and carry some of that momentum and just use it as an example of what happens when we have that competitive fight, but, you know, we lost.” 

Do you think you guys go into the NCAA Tournament with a chip on your shoulder to prove that you are a team to be contended with? 

Dixon: “Yeah, I mean, we believe we can compete with anybody and beat anybody in the country. We haven’t been our best the last two games, but this is March, this is what you play for. 

“So we’re definitely going to bring it in the Tournament. Do it for Caleb (Wilson), do it for all the guys that aren’t able to play. Do it for (James Brown), we’ve got to be better.” 

Does the Clemson loss give you a blueprint of what to repeat and what not to repeat when the NCAA Tournament starts next week? 

Dixon: “We have to come out of the gate with that fight, we can’t waver. We can’t start slow — all those types of things — which we’ve been struggling with all year. But now it’s win-or-go-home, we have to bring it.”

How do you bring that competitive edge from the jump? How can you guys do that? 

Dixon: “I mean, it’s win or go home. We’re only promised one more game. If we can’t bring that competitive edge, that’s not good enough.”