March 12, 2010

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Head Coach Gary Williams

Opening Statement:
"I'm very proud of our team this year. I think the second half typifies the type of people that are playing for us this year. I have to take the responsibility for the way we played the first half. Whatever we did getting ready for this - obviously we had plenty of time to get ready - we weren't ready emotionally. When you play a team with that type of players, for us, you really have to be ready emotionally. We have to be flying around, everything's got to be going 100 miles an hour, under control though. And we just couldn't get it up to speed in the first half. But at halftime, these guys dug down and we found a way to get some energy. It was great coming back. I thought we could win the game in that situation. We didn't get the shots down when we had to, but we're a good basketball team and that second half was the way it should feel when we're playing really well. I enjoyed that out there in the second half. Eric [Hayes] has been a great four-year player for us. A lot of times, he does things on the court that don't really get noticed, in addition to his shooting. And he was solid for us tonight. Pretty typical game for Eric as his game has gone through a four-year period, so I'm really happy for Eric that he had the success, along with Landon Milbourne and Greivis Vasquez. This year, our seniors really worked hard and got us to the NCAA Tournament last year, and are getting us there again this year. So I'm really pleased that things have worked out for them."

On adjustments made at halftime:
"Not many. It was just a matter of effort. We changed the effort. You can try to push some buttons at halftime as the coach, but it's up to the players to go out and do that. And they just came out really aggressive, and I thought it really started with about 30 seconds left in the first half. I thought we picked it up a little bit right there and we were able to use that - whatever that was - Adrian Bowie's three-point play there at the end of the half and kind of jump start the second half from that play."

On foul issues for Jordan Williams:
"I am sure that bothered Jordan a little bit. He learned a lot tonight though. He had three fouls and he tried to take a charge down there in the second half in a situation where you don't want to get your fourth foul that early. He tried to take a charge and he slid a little bit and got called for the block. I thought he handled it well for not being in that situation very often."

On teams playing a Thursday game having an advantage:
"We were in that situation last year and we won two and I thought we played well the third game and didn't win so I think you can do it especially if you have depth. The way the games are now with all the TV timeouts and everything, the game has changed a little bit. You can catch your breath if you are a good athlete and you are in shape this time of year."

On Landon Milbourne's game:
"It was great to see that. Landon has struggled a little bit but his effort is always there. Effort-wise, that was there. He got really active on the offense end and that is what we need. We need that third guy and when Landon is on his game, it gives us a pretty good look out there."

Senior Guard Eric Hayes

On Maryland's slow start in the first half:
"No, I didn't sense that we weren't ready to play. I don't know what it was. When we got out there, we just were slow on defense, and they were getting offensive rebounds early. That's something that we really wanted to key on is keeping them off the boards, and they did that early. And I think, also, [Maurice] Miller was hitting some shots and [Brian] Oliver came in and was shooting lights out, so once we got that down, it kind of just snowballed honestly in the first half."

On multiple chances to tie the game:
"We had a bunch of chances. I missed a three that was in and out and a bunch of other guys missed some shots that we usually make. It was a little frustrating when you use that much energy to get back into the game and get to two points and you just can't get over the top."

On compliments from Coach Williams on senior class:
"It's a great honor. Coach Williams has coached a lot of teams and a lot of senior classes have gone through here. To hear him talk about my senior class like that is a great honor. There have been a lot of good players that have come through here and our class has done just as good of a job as anybody."