March 14, 2002

Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams opening statement:
"We are very proud to be in the NCAA Tournament nine straight years. When we start every year that is our goal to make the NCAA Tournament and to make it is a great thing. When you look around and see who is not playing the tournament each year you realize how significant it is."

Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams on the pressure to win:
"We stress all year that we have to be ready to play. The most important thing we do in preparation for any team we play is to get our game up to the level in practice where we want it to be for the game. My coach in college had a great saying, 'You respect everyone but you fear no one.' We will certainly be ready to play."

Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams on respecting Siena:
"As seniors they see how important it is to prepare for each game. Every team in the tournament has players that are really good. Some teams have more players then other teams. When you play one game you can always win one game if your best player gets hot and the other team doesn't play well. That is why you have to get ready to play and that is very important for us as a No. 1 seed."

Maryland Senior Guard Juan Dixon on psychologically getting ready for tomorrow's game:
"We are going to approach this game just like we have approached every other game this year. You just have to be ready to play. We are a very talented team, but we have to stay focused for 40 minutes and plan on winning the game on the defensive end."

Maryland Senior Center Lonny Baxter on playing in near by MCI Center:
"We are pretty familiar with this place. We play here every year in the BB&T Classic and it is only 20 minutes away from our campus so you could call this place a second home to us."

Maryland Senior Forward Byron Mouton on how to full fill the expectations of the team:
"We have seven or eight guys returning from last year's team. Of course we have expectations, this year the expectations is to win a national championship. We have to come into this game like it is our last game and for us three seniors it is our last game if we don't win it. We just need to take it one game at a time and it is the game on Friday night we have to win to even think about winning a national championship."