Dec. 6, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Welcome to "In The Paint," a feature item on umterps.com that gives fans an "inside" perspective on the lives and minds of Maryland basketball players.

Today, Maryland Basketball GameDay's Brandon Fastman goes in the paint with Terp senior forward Byron Mouton. They cover many topics, from Byron's major to his favorite movies and video games.

GameDay: Do you speak French?
Byron Mouton: No, I don't speak French, but my parents do.
GD: What does Mouton mean?
BM: It means king sheep.

GD: Be honest with me. Is New Orleans even half as fun as College Park?
BM: College Park is not even close to New Orleans-not even a mosquito bite.
GD: Tell me why you transferred to Maryland.
BM: Maryland offered more opportunity. Also, there were too many distractions back home and I needed to clear my mind. I couldn't focus in New Orleans.

GD: Are you more a sculptor or a painter?
BM: I design. It doesn't matter if it is a sculpture, painting, anything.
GD: Are there many athletes that major in art studio?
BM: Not too many. I am the only one on the team. Terence [Morris] was an art major.
GD: Do you wear all black to class?
BM: I do, but only because you get kind of dirty when you paint or use other materials.

GD: The football players have football tournaments on Playstation. Do you guys play basketball?
BM: We play football also-NCAA 2002. I don't think there is a basketball game like that.
GD: Who is the best player?
BM: I am the best because I play all the time. But Juan is good too and we compete a lot. Nobody else on the team is that good.

GD: Have you been going to the Maryland football games this year?
BM: I have gone to every last one of them.
GD: You sing with Fridge after the game?
BM: Yes.

GD: Do you prefer Chris Rock or Eddie Murphy?
BM: I love Eddie Murphy because he goes way back. Chris Rock is still young. He is funny, but he's nothing like Eddie Murphy.

GD: Taco Bell or McDonald's?
BM: I have to go with the McDonald's arches. Ronald McDonald used to come to our school. Nobody from Taco Bell came to our school.
GD: Have you tried the new chicken quesadillas at Taco Bell?
BM: Yes I did. They are allright but they aren't great.

GD: Coach says that you are one of the more emotional players on the team. Do you cry a lot when you watch sad movies?
BM: No I don't cry at all. The only movie I ever cried at was "Titanic." That is the only movie I ever cried at because it was a great movie and it had a terrible ending.
GD: Have you seen any good movies lately?
BM: I saw "Exit Wounds" with DMX, that was a great movie. They tell me that the movie I will watch tonight is good also - "Swordfish" with Halle Berry.