WICHITA, Kan.--Coach Gregg Marshall spoke with Wichita's local media on Friday afternoon regarding Saturday's game against Northern Arizona.

Marshall on the week of preparation:  “It's been an up and down week of practice. The majority of the time the guys have been devoted to exams, and that's to be expected. Yesterday's practice was one of our best in a while. Hopefully, that's because we're getting to the end of exams. I'll deal with some sub-par practices during this week of academic drain.”

Marshall on preparing for the start of the conference season: “I'm not preparing for conference season at all right now. We're trying to improve as a basketball team. That's what I'm focused on right now?getting better and trying to win the next game. You don't win championships in March, you win them in October, November and December with your preparation.”

Marshall on Northern Arizona's return game from last season:  “It was probably one of our low points last year. We gave up 85 points, but I think in my full 10 years as a head coach, I don't think I've ever given up 85 points in a ballgame. Maybe in triple overtime in a bracket buster game, but I'm pretty sure 85 is as many as we've ever given up. We reversed the deal with Appalachian State last year, and we're hoping to do that against Northern Arizona.”

Marshall on NAU senior Josh Wilson:  “Scoring is not his forte. He's one of the career assists leader in their school's history. They've got Johnson and others that are even better scorers than him right now. Wilson is just the straw that stirs the drink, I think.”

Marshall on building a win from eight days ago: “That game's long gone. We've had a lot of things happen since then: practice, exams, snow storms. That one's gone.”

Marshall  on A.J. Hawkins:  “I thought he's really looked good shooting the ball. He's not a big-time stroker, but I think he's a better shooter than (P.J.) Couisnard and I still believe that. he doesn't have the toughness and grittiness that P.J. did. P.J. was more of a defender/rebounder type, and A.J. is more of a slasher. He's coming along, and hopefully he'll continue to improve like the rest of us.”

Marshall on the team's fatigue status: “I hope it doesn't enter in yet. We took two days off Saturday and Sunday for exams. We've got these four days and then we get another three days off. It's probably going to be more of January and February when that's going to be a concern. We're going to grind pretty hard when they get back from Christmas. Our practices this year, though, have not been three-hour marathons. I try to keep them brisk and get a lot accomplished. I know that the wall is out there, and we don't want to hit it.”

Marshall on was the team needs to do to win on Friday:  “We've got to score. We've got to shoot the ball, and get the ball inside. We've got to defend their motion. If they score 85 points again, they are going to beat us. They've played some very good teams on the road. It's going to be a battle of wills. They've got more experience with several seniors.”

Marshall on his confidence level with the team:  “I like our team. I'm enjoying coaching this team. No matter where we are right now, there's nowhere to go but up. I think we can continue to get better, and I hope that we do that. We've got guys that are in their 10th game of their career at Wichita State, and they are cornerstones to this program. I can't predict how these games are going to go, I just know that we are trying to prepare them for the conference games and what is coming down the road.”

-Wichita State-