March 3, 2002

Recap| Box Score| Notes

Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams
Opening statement:
"It seemed like the game would never start, there were so many distractions. This wasn't typical preparation for a game with all the players coming back. It was really tough, we tried to keep the players away from that, but sometimes you can't do that. I was really proud of them tonight, it was tough getting started, but we got the lead midway through and then we came out and played great in the second half."

On going undefeated at Cole Field House:
"I never have been one to talk about goals, but at Midnight Madness, I did say we were going to go undefeated. I slipped 'try' in there just in case we didn't make it, but I really meant it. That was a personal goal to go undefeated this year in Cole. You might as well leave in the right way. For everybody that has been a part of Cole Field House, we want this to be a great year. It's been incredible how Cole has been a big part of people's lives the past 50 years. We wanted to go out on a high note."

On Juan's slow start:
"It''s like he drinks a six-pack of Coke during a normal game. Tonight he was even more hyper than that, tonight it was Senior Night and we just won the conference championship. He just had to come down, once he slowed down he was fine."

On Senior Night at Cole:
"We have three very good seniors, the experience of Lonny Baxter, Byron Mouton and Juan Dixon is probably as good as anybody's in the country. I do feel it is an advantage if you have the right seniors as we do. These guys are very happy to be playing their senior year at Maryland and that is very important too."

Virginia Head Coach Pete Gillen
On the contrasting offensive and defensive efforts:
"You can't outscore a great team like Maryland with their great talent. We had a great offensive game but our defense was very bad, expecially in the second half."

On the play of Chris Wilcox and Juan Dixon:
"(Chris) Wilcox is a great athlete, at 6-10, he is strong and a great player. We didn't box him out and he killed us on the boards. (Juan) Dixon just took over the game. He and Wilcox were great in the second half."

On looking ahead to the ACC Tournament:
"We have to play up to our potential and play to our capabilities. Today we played up to our potential offensively, but we didn't play up to our potential defensively."

On doing everything right in all aspects of the game:
"To beat a great team you have to make your free throws, you got to make your layups, you just got to do everything right and tonight we did some things right but not enough."

On playing the last game at Cole Field House:
"I think tonight they would have beat most teams in the country. With their talent, their coaching and with their emotion I think they would have beat most teams tonight."