Maryland Basketball Press Conference Quotes
3/19/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 19, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Head coach Gary Williams and members of the Maryland basketball squad met with the media on Tuesday to answer questions about the Terps' fourth Sweet Sixteen appearance in the last five years. Below are excerpts from the Maryland press conference.
Head Coach Gary Williams
On what the seniors have contributed to the team:
Just a tremendous focus. Along those four years we've won over a hundred games, but we also had some tough losses. Yet we've always been able to come back, sometimes not as quick as others, but we've never let anybody take us off of what we were trying to do. I think our seniors -- Juan, Lonny and Byron -- have had a lot to do with that. Over a four-year period, they have been mentally tough.
On playing a top historical program such as Kentucky:
When you play Kentucky, their name is still magical, but I think our name is pretty good now. You have to get over what is on the jersey and put your game out there. We've reached a pretty good point of earning the respect that other schools do.
On people taking Maryland making it to the Sweet 16 for granted:
From a coach's standpoint, I told the players that it is a great thing to make it to the Sweet 16. Look at who didn't make it this year, but obviously you want to keep that hunger there to go past that.
On the play of Steve Blake:
Steve is one of those guys who gives the team what it needs. When he sees where his opportunities are, he becomes an offensive threat. As his career has gone on he's become more of an offensive threat as far as putting the ball in the basket. We don't play very well when Steve is not on his game in terms of putting the ball to people at the right time and playing good defense against the other [team's] guard. That's his job on the team. Everyone has things they do, and Steve does that well for us.
On Byron Mouton's play in the NCAA Tournament:
I'm glad that people noticed what he did in the Wisconsin game. Kirk Penney is a very good player and to play him as well as he did was an accomplishment. It is very difficult to get your offense going when you're trying to do that defensively. We had enough offense, but could we [had to] stop Penney.
On Kentucky's Tayshaun Prince:
He's different in that he is 6'9" and he can roam around the perimeter and get his shots. He can put it on the floor, he's a pretty good passer. Any time you different it gives you an edge, [especially] with that size and that ability to shoot the three from as far out as he does.
Senior center Lonny Baxter
On playing alongside Juan Dixon for four years:
It's a great feeling to know that we came in and made a difference here.
On the play of Chris Wilcox:
It gives you a lot of energy to feed off of -- to see him get up the way he does.
On Friday's match-up with Kentucky:
They are a great powerhouse program with a great history and right now we just want to play them well and play our best basketball.
Junior guard Drew Nicholas
On facing Kentucky on Friday:
We know what is ahead of us. We know that Kentucky is a really good basketball team and that they're going to play hard. We're the number one seed and they're going to be coming after us. We have to really start preparing for Friday.
We carry a certain amount of respect being that we're a number one seed and we know that they're going to take their best shot, and that is what we want.
On the experience of Maryland and Kentucky:
We have the same amount of experience as they do. I don't know how many of their guys have reached a Final Four but I know a lot of us reached it last year. In terms of experience, we are as experienced as any team in the country right now.
On aiming for another Final Four appearance:
It brings us a sense of us knowing what we have to do. Last year getting to the Final Four was a great run. Now we know what we have to do to get back there.
Junior guard Steve Blake
On his offensive game:
I'm not looking for more shots. I only took four shots the last game. I do whatever I have to do to help the team win.
On where the Terps are looking to improve:
We have to settle down on defense. We had firepower offensively [against Wisconsin], but we definitely had to focus on our defense.
On the strength of competition at this point:
I think every team in the NCAA Tournament is good. They got this far for a reason.
Sophomore forward Chris Wilcox
On how he has grown as a player:
I think the mental part has grown a lot. I learned that from Terence Morris and Mike Mardesich last year. That's what we need this time of year -- just to be focused and be ready to play.
On a possible match-up with Tayshaun Prince:
It's possible I may seem time against him, but we just come to play. We don't worry about that. We just let our game come to us, from both the offensive and the defensive end, and everything else will just fall our way.
On his defense this season against Mike Dunleavy:
Last year a lot of people said that I didn't play defense, but I'm happy that I made that mark and I'm just have to take it from there.
On questions regarding the NBA:
I really don't like talking about the NBA. Every time that I say that I'm coming back to school, it doesn't change anything because people still come to me asking the same questions about going to the NBA.
On the mentality of being a No. 1 seed:
It's a different mindset and pressure because of how hard all of the other teams are trying to go after you, but you just have to go back at them as hard. You have to be mental with your game as well as physical.
Senior guard Juan Dixon
On his desire to lead the team to victory:
I still feel the same way. It is my last time going through this and I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. I'm just out there having fun.
On his play in the NCAA Tournament thus far:
It's the same Juan Dixon. I'm just taking a different approach. I'm trying to start the game a little aggressive on the offensive end and I'm trying to play a little harder on the defensive end. I'm just out there having fun and hopefully it will continue.
On playing Kentucky:
We start working on Kentucky today, but we're just going to go out there and play our defense.
On playing against Tayshaun Prince:
He's going to be a difficult guy to guard because he can do so much with the ball, being that he's 6'9". Whatever we decide to do it's going to be a team effort.
On Kentucky's depth:
[Cliff] Hawkins also showed that he is capable of putting in a performance. They have a lot of guys they can go to, so we just have to be ready to put a total team effort out there.
