Nov. 22, 1999

JC: This year you are being reunited with Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams, your former teammates in high school. What does it feel like to be back on the court with them?

SM: "Good things come for those who wait. I'm just looking forward to reuniting with them and try to do what we did together at Manual. It's also an advantage since we have played together since eighth grade. We know each other well, nobody knows you better than people that are around you the most. They are like brothers to me, and we work well on the court."

JC: When you were at Manual, you won four championships. That's a rare feat. What was that experience like?

SM: "The first one was great because nobody had expected us to do it. The second one was great because it was my dad's first year coaching and that meant a lot to me. After the third one, it was like, let's keep it going."

JC: You mention your dad and how he got a chance to coach you in high school. How much does it mean to you to be coached by him?

SM: "I wouldn't give that up for anything in the world. It's a great bond and it is great that a sport made our relationship closer. I felt that he was more than just a dad, he was my big brother. We did everything together, it was great."

JC: You have been recognized as being one of the better defensive players in the Big Ten. Last year you were in the running for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Do you take pride in the fact that your defense is good despite the fact that most fans and commentators notice offensive statistics before defensive ones?

SM: "Defense makes offense--I was always taught that. At Manual we lived by that belief, and it's the same way at Illinois. It gets away from a lot of people in college and it is an offensive game."

JC: Who would you say is the best or hardest player you have had to guard? Who really gives you a test? How much does your size effect other players when you guard them?

SM: "Michael Redd, Mateen Cleaves and Scoonie Penn are up there. I just try to get under their skin and make it hard for them to go out and play their game. I've been lucky because, my size and mobility allow me to go out there and guard a lot of different players."

JC: After going through a difficult season the team ended the year with success at the Big Ten Tournament. Describe what last season was like with the ups and downs, and the run Illinois made in March.

SM: "At times it was tough and very depressing. No one wants to lose, not the players, not the coaches or the fans. It was difficult, and we took it in stride. We appreciated the support of the fans who recognized how hard we were working to win. Most of the games were close and at the end of the year, the hard work paid off. We came together and figured out what we could do to be successful offensively, and our defense was solid."

JC: What does it feel like to play in the Assembly Hall? It is an intense atmosphere and it looks as if you and your teammates feed off that emotion from the fans and the Orange Krush. How much does the crowd help when Illinois is going up against other teams?

SM: "I enjoy having our students on the floor. The atmosphere is incredible and they really help out. They mess with the other team, pump us up, and the encouragement is there. I know that I want to win for those people when I'm out there."

JC: The fans are excited about this season, different publications have you in in the Top 20. With all these expectations, does it excite you? Do you realize that you have to put some of those early predictions aside and still go out there and play the games?

SM: "It's great that they have put us in a certain position. That's all on paper now. It's great that people are recognizing our program as one of the best in the nation and we will hard every day to ensure that Illinois is considered one of the best teams at the end of the year. The rankings always give everyone pleny to talk about, but ultimately we just have to see what happens when we go out there and play. I know as a team we feel we have a lot of work to do. We are working to get better every day."

JC: Where do you want to be at the end of the season?

SM: "On a personal level, I want to be Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big Ten. Those are goals as an individual. As far as the team is concerned, I want to win a championship."