NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR

March 30, 2001

Charlie Bell

Andre Hutson

David Thomas

CHARLIE BELL: We've played a lot of great teams in our four years here at Michigan State. This is definitely going to be one of those great teams. You know, we're used to it now I think. My freshman year we were overwhelmed a little bit to go out there and play against a great team with Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison. We're one of those great teams. We need to go out there, play hard; we know we have as good a chance as anybody here to win.

ANDRE HUTSON: I think for me coming out of high school, I was -- I think everybody has dreams of making it to the Final Four, try to contend for a national championship. I definitely didn't expect everything that we've achieved here in my four years. Like I said before, I'm blessed to be here at this time and be around such great players and have such a great atmosphere in Michigan State where winning is everything. You know, I definitely didn't expect that, but I'm very pleased to come out of here my four years and accomplish all the goals that I have.

CHARLIE BELL: For me, I grew up in the State of Michigan. So, I mean, you know, a lot of the talk was University of Michigan. When I chose to go to Michigan State, a lot of people wondered why. But I've seen the coach is a hard worker. With Mateen and Morris, I knew we had a chance to do some great things. We've been able to do those things through hard work and being around each other all year long, working out in the summer. We knew that anything is possible with hard work.

CHARLIE BELL: I really haven't seen too much of a difference. I mean, I feel pretty good, you know, the last couple domes we've been in. Our shoot-arounds everybody been's knocking down shots. We're so used to playing in domes now it doesn't really affect us. We're used to 'go out there, knock down shots'.

ANDRE HUTSON: First of all, our coaches really emphasize rebounding and, you know, constantly in practice they're definitely emphasizing going after the ball. And whether we're on offense or defense, they want us to go after it. So it definitely starts with our coaches. I think we just have guys that are relentless going to the offensive and defensive boards. You go out there, get a rebound, another opportunity to score. Getting defensive rebounds really limits the other team's scoring ability. It's an effort thing for us. We like to go out there and play with more effort than the other team.

DAVID THOMAS: You want to try that one? I think for one, we've continued to have great recruiting classes come in. We had Zach and Marcus this year. Year before we had Jason Richardson. You know, a great group of guys that come in each year that we kind of replenish the team. You know, coming back this year, we had a corps of guys who were in different roles, you know, the three of us and Mike and J-Rich, it was different roles, but we stepped up and accepted those roles, and we've been successful with it.

CHARLIE BELL: It's been hard. I mean, like you said, we had a lot of injuries, I mean, with David being hurt. You know, the last couple years. And, you know, with Mateen being injured last year and getting hurt in the championship game. There's been a lot -- Andre going through what he went through this year. We just have been able to -- everybody, once somebody gets hurt, everybody just steps up their game. I mean if there's a guy who doesn't play much, he knows he has to get in the gym more, he has to watch more film. Once somebody goes down, there would be a lot of guys on this team that could step up.

CHARLIE BELL: Like you said, it changed very quickly. I think Michigan has had some bad breaks, guys leaving early and, you know, the coach leaving and really having to rebuild right now. Coach Izzo did a great job of just coming in and just working hard. He's a very genuine guy. I think, you know, when he tells you something, you know he's not just telling you that to come to university, but he really means it. I think that's why a lot of young players, they like him and they can relate to him just like we can relate to him. He's a great coach. It's a great family-type atmosphere that a lot of kids want to play in.

ANDRE HUTSON: I think everybody around the country knows that they're very athletic. They have probably the best talented group of guys in the country. They have their starters, you know, that are definitely some of the top players in the country. We definitely have to go out there, play aggressive, play our style of ball. We have to get up and down the floor. It definitely seems they can rebound with us so we have to focus on that. We have to stick to our game which is defending, rebounding, and running.

ANDRE HUTSON: Well, I don't think -- we don't look at ourselves as a physical and beat-you-up team. We like to go out there and play basketball as well. We like to go out there and play a tough game, but we want to be athletic, too. If we're playing bigger guys, we want to be quicker than those guys. If we're playing smarter guys, we like to be stronger. We like to adjust our game to different styles. Illinois is definitely a tough team. They've accomplished a lot this year. They have some big guys that come off the bench. So do we. I think in certain ways both of us are similar. We're just very aggressive going to the ball. That's what's been able to give us a rebounding edge in the past couple years.

DAVID THOMAS: What's that?

DAVID THOMAS: It feels great. You know, it's a great sense of pride, you know, knowing that I could play well in front of, you know, even my Canadian audience who, they got the game, so it feels good just to be able to play.

DAVID THOMAS: I think continue to do what I've done. You know, I was -- I got a lot of -- a few open shots against Temple, and some I worked for and my teammates did a good job of finding me, and I was knocking shots down. I've just got to continue to be aggressive and try to play team ball. My thing is rebounding and energy and that type of stuff. So that's what I think about doing first, and if scoring comes, then it comes.

CHARLIE BELL: Arenas is a great player. I think he's playing his best basketball of the year right now. That's probably one of the reasons why Arizona's playing the way they're playing. He's really stepped up and, you know, he's the leading scorer on the team. He moves well without the ball. That's one thing that can be tough. You can never relax on him. Watching the Illinois game, he's gotten a lot of layups. I have to stay solid and try to go for steals which I don't go for steals anyway. Hopefully, I'm going to get help from my teammates, and hopefully Andre and David and other guys like that will help me a lot as far as trying to slow him down.

CHARLIE BELL: He's one guy that's been consistent for us all year long. I've had my ups and downs. Jason had his ups and downs. He's just the one guy that's been there all season long for us. He's one consistent in the low post; we know we can go to him, especially late in the game -- we need a basket, we know we can go to him. He's going to get a basket or foul or find somebody open for a shot. He's just been very key to this team.

CHARLIE BELL: It's great. I mean, to spend four years at a university and really enjoy it. Four or five of us, we're leaving, graduating, getting our diplomas. That's one thing that's very special to me. When you got five seniors that accomplished what we did in the court and off the court, it's been great. Coach Izzo, the last senior day was probably one of the greatest days of my life. This has definitely been a special year for all five of us.

DAVID THOMAS: I agree with Charlie on a lot of things. Basic thing is the relationships and that bond that we've built over my five years and these guys' four years and all the seniors that just come out, like Charlie said, with our degrees is a big plus. And it's rare. It's rare this day and age, you know, for a team to have five seniors who actually graduate. I think those are the biggest things.

ANDRE HUTSON: I think the fact that we've been winning over these four years has definitely made it special and it's been fun. The biggest part like David said is the family atmosphere. We all treat each other like brothers, and I think this that will be the biggest thing I take away from it when I leave it.

CHARLIE BELL: I think the coaches probably just came up with stuff they felt we should be able to do. And, you know, for me, and, you know, the rest of us seniors we've been trying to do it collectively. I think if I'm not really saying too much and I'm having a bad day, I depend on Andre and David, or Brandon or Mike to pick me up. There's always somebody stepping up on our team. There's not just one guy that's, you know, an up-front leader. We got a lot of guys who stepped up to that role this year, and it's really been great and it's really helped this team out.