Williams wants incident forgotten

CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams said Friday the incident during last Saturday's 103-64 win over Presbyterian College that led to a fan being ejected has gotten too much attention.

"I wish it hadn't happened," Williams told reporters, reiterating what he had said earlier in the week on his weekly radio show.

The incident got national attention, with video of the exchange circulating on the Internet.

Williams stopped coaching during last week's game to point out a heckler to security guards, and the man, a Presbyterian fan, was removed from the Smith Center.

The fan, Brian King of Concord, had shouted at UNC's Deon Thompson to miss a free throw.

Williams said he thought the fan was a Carolina fan until he was informed otherwise Monday.

"I swear to goodness," Williams said.

Then he recounted all the tough talk his team had to endure at Madison Square Garden against Ohio State and Syracuse, where some players' parents were upset and one parent got into a heated exchange with a fan.

"We have to live with that on the road," Williams said. "I just don't believe I should have to live with it at home."

Williams denied having the fan ejected.

"I said, 'Go see what that guy's problems are. Go get that guy, see what his problems are.' I don't remember what I said. I turned around and started coaching."

Williams said he didn't realize what happened after that point.

"I'm sorry it happened," he said. "I wish it hadn't happened, and that's enough."

Today's game at Cowboys Stadium against Texas will be UNC's fifth game this year against a ranked team and the fourth game against a Top-10 opponent.

Only one of those four games has been at home, with the Tar Heels losing to Syracuse in New York City and to Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.

"I've always felt comfortable about playing a really good schedule," Williams said. "I don't think anybody in the country has played five teams like that and only one of them in our building. ... "If it helps our team in the long run, we won't worry about it at the end of the year, and if we lose confidence and get shaken, we've got to figure out a way to get it back."