March 22, 2003

TAMPA, Fla. - Wake Forest Head Coach Skip Prosser:

On Auburn forward Marquis Daniels: "He reminds me a lot Josh Howard. He's athletic; he takes big shots, makes big shots. He's a senior, and I think he revels being in that (game wining shot) type of situation. He's got a bit of Josh in him in that he does a lot of things - he's not one-dimensional. He drives the basketball well."

On his personal coaching philosophy: "I think I'm a teacher. Without trying to wax too philosophic, I think that it's all part of the educational process. When you're in the NBA, basketball is all entertainment, but at this level basketball is all about education and not entertainment. I think that a lot of lessons that can be learned on a basketball court, in the locker room, on the practice floor, you can't learn in the classroom -- just like a lot of lessons in the lab or the classroom you can't learn on the football field, lacrosse field or the basketball court. I'm hoping that these guys lean to think on their feet, be very aggressive, be extremely unselfish, and understand the value of hard work."

On being the "fourth" recognized team in North Carolina after Duke, Carolina, and NC State: "I'm fourth in my own house, after my wife, my dog, my bird. I think just this year I moved in front of my wife's car. I don't worry about other's perceptions. The only perception I worry about is my players."

On his coaching staff: "I think I have the best coaching staff in the country. And they have to be, to carry me. You can't slay the dragon by yourself."

On his favorite quote: "Emerson's the one who said our chief want in life is for someone to make us do what we can."

Senior guard Josh Howard

On match up against Marquis Daniels:

"I don't know much about the team, and I don't know to much about him. I heard he's an excellent player and I'm gonna have to approach it like I do every game and go out and play hard against everybody."

On first round performance against East Tennessee State:

"I couldn't tell you what's going on with my game, it's the same old stuff. Players go through slumps and I'm probably going through one. I just got to keep shooting, playing hard and helping my team in other ways besides scoring."

On success besides low expectations:

"We just been playing hard, rebounding the ball, and taking that, being picked sixth and seventh in our conference as motivation and running with it.

On practice:

"There tough and demanding and all the coaches ask 100% out of us. We just try and do our best and give them that effort, and just continue to be good and we're doing a great job at that.

On rebounding and low post play:

"Just got to go to the glass hard like we've been doing and playing hard defense

Freshman guard Justin Gray

On success besides the low expectations:

"I think from day one we got the comments from the coaching staff not to worry how good were gonna be, because they had confidence is us that we were gonna be good. We just use the motivation from being picked last and come out and play hard and do what we do best, rebound, and shoot the ball."

On practice:

"Same as Josh said, I came in as a freshman and we didn't know what to expect. We just had to come in and play hard and the team needed us to step up if we were gonna be good. We just have to come into practice and give that effort, because if you don't your not gonna play."

On being 5-0 when Josh didn't lead the team in scoring:

"Josh is a good player, but good players have bad days. We have to pick up the slack for him and that's how it's been all year. If it's not me or Jamaal, it's Eric like he did yesterday coming in and playing well. I think for us to go far in this tournament, that's what were gonna have to do, but when Josh gets going we're gonna have to find him and get him the ball."

On Wake Forest being Josh's team:

"We don't have that many seniors and its Josh's team. We came in as freshman and played every game for our seniors. They didn't play in the tournament last year because of injuries. They are such a vital part of this team, and if we didn't have them then we wouldn't be here. The coaching staff told us this is for them, and hopefully come out with a victory."

Sophomore Jamaal Levy

On success besides low expectations:

"We just try and do our best every game, and come out and play every game like it's our last."

On being 5-0 when Josh didn't lead the team in scoring:

"Like Justin said, Josh is a great player. He might not be having a good game and someone has to step us, that's what we got to do."