Feb. 20, 2008

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Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams
On tonight's game:
"We had several chances to put the game out of reach but each time Virginia Tech did a good job of coming back. They scored when they had to. We had a stretch there in the first half when we didn't score. It really hurt us, but at the same time we had the lead out to about ten in the second half. We had a couple bad plays that gave them some confidence. The whole game was played in streaks and we just couldn't get it done when we had to. It's disappointing but at the same time, we're still in pretty good shape in the league. We have a quick turnaround here to get ready for Miami, so that will be the focus."

On Virginia Tech forward A.D. Vassallo:
"He's a great shooter so you expect him to make shots. We thought we had him covered a couple times, but he made them. He shot one quick one when we didn't get out on him. He's going to get some. He was 3-for-7 from the three-point line, but he made three big ones."

On the end of game:
"You play close games, but that game shouldn't have been that close. But that's where it was at the end and Virginia Tech did a good job. We had our chances to score and we didn't."

On the progress of guard Greivis Vasquez:
"He's made better decisions. He's a work in progress. He's just a sophomore. But he's really a good player. He can get better as long as he keeps the attitude he has. He's our guy. We work with him everyday."

Maryland Sophomore Guard Greivis Vasquez
On coming back after tonight's loss:
"We have to want it. We're not running away. We never run away. We're going to come in tomorrow ready to practice, but its tough losing at home like that."

Maryland Sophomore Guard Eric Hayes
On the team's defense:
"I think we just lost our focus when we went up and we stopped doing what we did to get to that point. They got back in transition and made a lot of shots and that was it."

Maryland Sophomore Forward Landon Milbourne
"We just have to come in tomorrow and practice and work. We just have to learn how to control the ball. One or two turnovers and that could cost you the whole game. We only lost by four points and we know that those four turnovers might have been the difference. We just have to learn to control the ball when the game's on the line."

Virginia Tech Head Coach Seth Greenberg
Opening Statement:
"In the first half we were ready to write off the game. We know that if we were going down, we were going down fighting, and we wanted to go down hard. [The players] cared about what we built in this program and they were with me. They responded. This is a resilient group. North Carolina does not define who we are. Tonight and in previous comebacks defines who we are. Our team really guarded tonight. At timeouts, I needed them to know we were in this together. I wanted them to know I was right beside them. We did a terrific job overall. This was a great win for our team."

On the meaning of the win:
"We lost three games in a row. We were embarrassed at North Carolina and didn't play like I wanted to at NC State. Yes, this win means a lot because look at those banners, and that is a Hall of Fame coach."

On the team's play:
"I told Jeff [Allen] before the game to get it going. I challenged him to play like an all-conference player. He needed to be assertive in the second half. Jeff got it going. Hank [Thorns] had great energy. Hank was really good at talking to his teammates. We found A.D. [Vassallo] in transition. We did a good job in finding people in the transition."

On Greivis Vasquez:
"He got a couple of threes in the first half and was able to get into the lane a little deeper."

Virginia Tech Senior Guard Deron Washington
On the Tech's second-half comeback:
"We kept playing hard, we picked our defense up, and once we picked our defense up, Maryland turned into offense and that's how we got the game running ... We just got more aggressive. We started to pick it up because we knew we had to get back in the game."

On snapping their three-game losing streak
"It's something we needed. We needed to come up here and get this win so we could get things going and get back on track."

On the crowd:
"We came back and got the win and the crowd was messing with us, and it was pretty fun. We were just having fun out there. They were having a lot of fun with us before the game."

On their chances of making the NCAA Tournament
"I think we got a good chance. If we keep playing the way we've been playing late in the second half, and keep it going throughout the rest of the season, I think we have a pretty good chance."

On keys to the win:
"Playing defense. We were down nine points last time against them with seven minutes left and we came back and got the win. We knew we still had a chance to win the game."