Feb. 1, 2004

Recap| Box Score| Notes

Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams
Opening Statement:
"They were 23-for-25, we were 9-for-18 from the line. They were 10-for-19 from the three, we were 2-for-14. We didn't make our shots down the line, and not getting off to a great start in the first half didn't help. They are a very tough team to play from behind because they have a lot of patience that comes with their experience. (Julius) Hodge had a great day. We were still too passive at times and they made us pay."

On Maryland's Defense:
"We practiced for a couple days running their plays so we could cover their offenses better. We would rather have them drive the ball than shoot threes. But we couldn't get their three-point shots covered. There were periods when we didn't get [our assignments] down."

On matching up with NC State:
"In a game like that you have to match them in a lot of ways. This year they shot the ball better from the three-point and free throw line. Coming out in the second half, we missed layups near the basket. Those are our shots. We had to go out there and think that we had to hit our shots. Maybe we weren't going to be able to make their shots, but we had to make ours."

NC State Head Coach Herb Sendek
On NC State's performance:
"To come into College Park and play well, you really have to be hitting on all cylinders. You have to play a good game. This is one of the most challenging places in college basketball to play in. They have a great crowd and great coaching year in and year out. I thought our guys, today, played their best 40 minutes of the year."

"Our guys played with a good measure of confidence...They made their shots and did a terrific job at the free throw line."

On junior forward Julius Hodge's performance:
"He really took this personal. He's a great competitor...You talk about the difference from one game to the next and when you have guys stepping up the way Julius did, it can make all the difference in the game. You can't put enough kind words to describe the game he had for us."

On freshman guard Engin Atsur:
"There was a sequence at the end of the game where he obviously missed the [easy shot]. At that point, Maryland's making a comeback and the crowd was in the game and he comes right back and makes the huge three-pointer from the corner. To have that kind of confidence and courage is extraordinary. I've coached a lot of guys and after taking a shot like that, a lot of guys would want to crawl under the nearest hole you can find, let alone step up and make that shot. That's just a great reflection of the person we're blessed to have in Engin."

Maryland's sophomore forward Nik Caner-Medley
On the tough loss:
"We came back in the game, but they played very well tonight. When a team plays better than you, regardless of if you are home or away, you're going to lose. So we just have to move on."

On the state of the season:
"We look at every game as a must win. I think that in terms of being in trouble, we're in trouble if we don't continue to try to get better. But I think we will continue to try to get better, and work hard, and go from there"

Maryland senior center Jamar Smith
On the Terrapin defense tonight:
"Coach [Williams] talked after the game about giving up three-pointers. If they drive, you have to get back to your man if you help. That hurt us because we're not getting back fast enough."

On the NC State offense:
"There wasn't anything that was surprising because we ran through everything in practice. They ran their offense well and hit a lot of big shots that hurt us. We just have to come out and execute. We had a couple of good practices this week so I figured we would have played better. But they were hitting big three's that were hurting us down the stretch."

Wolfpack senior center Marcus Melvin
On scoring the game's first nine points:
"I'm just doing what I've done lately -- just assert myself and be aggressive in the beginning of the game. I did that and I knew [Maryland's] defense would start coming at me, so I told my teammates to start looking for their shots. And that's what they did. We all made each other better out there."

On NC State's success from beyond the arc:
"That's what we do -- we make threes. We score now and then on the inside, but we're consistent on the outside."

On playing at the Comcast Center:
"We just wanted to make plays and keep them quiet. The crowd isn't a factor unless you give up a lot of plays."

Wolfpack senior guard Scooter Sherrill
"After we lost to North Carolina, we had a meeting. Coach [Sendek] put it up on the chalkboard that we hadn't won here in a while, but this time we were able to get it done."

On his team's success from the free throw line:
"That's something we take pride in and practice all the time. There are a lot of close games in the ACC and that's what makes the difference."

Wolfpack junior forward Julius Hodge:
On the play of of freshman guard Engin Atsur:
"Engin is playing real good for us right now, hitting big shots, making the right decisions all the time. He helps spread the defense out. He's been doing that for a while, and it really showed today."