Oct. 12, 2006

Senior Guard D.J. Strawberry
On his summer workouts ... "I worked out about three times a day. It was an NBA workout to get ready for the draft, and there were a lot of NBA players and guys that would end up getting drafted there. I learned a lot of things. I know that I have to go out every night and do whatever it takes to beat the opponent. We have to play at a high level all the time."

On his role this season ... "I like playing on the wing. Playing point guard last year will definitely improve my ballhandling. I will play wherever Coach wants me to, and I'm ready to do that. I know that I have to score more to pick up the load from some of the guys who left, so I've been working on that. Defense has always been my thing, so I want to combine those things and have a good season."

On the backcourt strength ... "The backcourt is going to be good. Eric Hayes is a great point guard, and he likes to be out there. [Greivis] Vasquez is a competitor. He has that fire and energy that I play with, and I like to see that. I enjoy playing with him. It will be good to have more guards around me to handle the ball. That will make things easier. We have a lot of guards that can play out there."

On being a senior ... "I feel old in a way, but it definitely went by fast. Hopefully we can make this year a great one. [The seniors] know that this is our last chance. We haven't talked about it, but everyone knows. I'm taking a lot on myself to get the team to where we want it to be. I have to be leading this team every day. We took the new guys under our wing from the first day. We're a team, and we have to stick together."

On his final Maryland Madness ... "I don't have anything special planned. I did all that when I was a freshman and a sophomore. It's for the young guys now. It's going to be great though, it's the last time we get to do something like this. It's going to be fun. The next day, practice starts, so that's what we really have to be ready for."

On the schedule ... "The schedule is always tough. We have to be ready to go out and play every night. The mentality of this team this year is going to be that we have to go out and win games every night. We just can't look ahead to what's coming later."

On what is in store for the freshmen guards ... "It will be tough at first. I felt like a freshman at first last year running the point, but they're all good enough ball handlers, and they know what to do coming in, which is more than I could say. They should be fine."

Senior Forward Ekene Ibekwe
On the focus on defense ... "We know that defense can lead to offense, and we need to focus on that. We know that this is a team that can score. Improving our defense will only make this team that much better."

On expectations for himself ... "I want to be more of a leader on this team. I'm trying to teach the young guys what to do. I want to be a vocal leader out there on the court, and give everything that I can. I feel more of a responsibility to do what I can for this team. I want to do that little bit extra, so besides going far in the tournament, that's what I want from this season."

On his experience with the Nigerian National Team ... "It was different playing over there. That was an atmosphere where everyone was really good, so it was fun to be a part of that. I added a lot of confidence in my ability to be able to play with anyone, including the big boys in the ACC. It was a good experience for me."

On adjustments from last season to this year ... "We have to be consistent on defense. We have to be on point and mentally tough all the time. I want to be more vocal on the court, and I know that if we lock down on defense, we'll be alright."

On entering his senior season ... "We want to leave this school knowing that we did something for the school. We want to put the program back where it's supposed to be."

On his final Maryland Madness ... "It's always an exciting event. It's a celebration for us. When I get out there, I'll feel just as excited as I was when I first got here to Maryland. I'll be nervous, too. But it's great to know that there are so many fans that really care about us and come out to show us their support. It's going to be fun."

Junior James Gist
On the upcoming season ... "It feels good to get back to Comcast. I've been looking forward to this since the end of last season. Our team worked hard this summer and we've worked hard in the preseason. I think we're all excited to get started."

On the team's defense ... "We are definitely going to bring the defensive intensity this year. All the post players this year are going to work to improve our defense in the paint. Defense is number one emphasis this year. Coach Williams has been stressing it all preseason. The guys who want to play defense will be the ones on the court."

On the newcomers ... "I like them. They are really going to help us out this year. They bring a different look to our team and we're going to have a lot of intensity this year in our game. They are getting really familiar with the way we play. We're all getting to know each other and learning how to play together. At our first practice on Saturday, we will already be in the mindset of playing together. We need to have motivation and that drive to win."

On the offseason ... "This offseason I worked on getting stronger and ball handling. I think my work this summer will really impact my game. I worked on techniques to improve my strength--day in and day out working out in the weight room to improve my game. I have a feeling we are going to be a great team and surprise a lot of people. In the past, we've worked hard and played hard, but we've always fallen short. This summer, we haven't been falling short. It's all coming together for us. I think we will get a lot of wins this year. A team won't get recognized unless they win."

On Maryland Madness and the Terps fans ... "I'm going to have fun. I'm going to bring something that the crowd has never seen. It's more than a celebration of basketball; we have Maryland on our chests and we have to represent the University of Maryland. We have 18,000 fans to support us in our upcoming season and that is a great feeling. We owe a lot to them."

On making the NCAA Tournament ... "Since we didn't make it last year, it's a huge motivation for our team. For me, it's an even bigger motivation. It's my goal to make it to the tournament."

On his role as a leader ... "Coach Williams has asked me to step up into a leadership role. I'm confident and willing to do what it takes to be a leader. It's going to take discipline and focus from the team."