Statement From James Moeser

"I want to start by echoing the statements of Dick Baddour. This is not a happy day for any of us. This is very difficult, particularly because it involves someone we care about. Matt Doherty has made a tough decision, one that took courage and one that puts the players, the program and the University first.

"Carolina basketball has always had a higher standard than perhaps any other program in the country, not just for winning, but for the quality and character of the program and the people in it. The issue here is not basketball, not wins and losses, or the players running the program. It's about leadership.

"At Carolina, we talk about student-athletes and teacher-coaches. To be sure, we want good athletes, and we want to win, but on this campus, coaches are also responsible for creating an environment for learning, for character development, for building a team of good leaders and good citizens. That's the Carolina standard.

"I want to offer some perspective and background. Some observers have characterized this as a player revolt. Others have implied that we only started looking into this when the season ended last week. Nothing could be further from the truth. Dick Baddour and I have been monitoring this program for some time. When I began to hear a number of concerns, I felt the need to separate fact from fiction. And the only way to do that was to talk to the students in the program. We would do this for any program at the University, academic or athletic. It's my job as Chancellor to listen to our students and take their problems seriously.

"The Board of Trustees and President Molly Broad have been fully briefed and support this direction.

"This has been very difficult for all of us - most of all our players. I'm proud of them. They played hard. They played well. They played for each other. These are kids that love Carolina, love the program and love the uniform. That is what this is about."