Ericblair

This was indeed another good game between two very good and well coached teams. Bradley had a little trouble early with the press while McMinn did a nice job against against Bradley traps. McMinn started off strong and perhaps a function of Bradleys weak schedule in that Bradley seemed just a little caught off guard. Massengil's 2nd half injury really hurt McMinn...she went out down by 2 and came back in down 7...a big swing in such a tight game. Bradley's fouth quarter (allowed 6 points) defense, free throw shooting and offensive balance/depth won this game. For now, Bradley just has a few more horses. Was suprised to see McMinn almost exclusively try to post Massengil in the 4th quarter although the pick/pentrate just was not there...again credit Bradley's defense. While this was a nice win for Bradley against an outstanding AA squad, they will face more balanced and athletic teams en route to a AAA state showing. They will have to handle back court pressue better and get more comfortable getting bangged around. McMinn should make it back to state and sucess there will depend on the emergence of tactics that involve other offensive threats than just Massingil. Great game and great environment....

$5 was well spent if you were fortunate enough to have attended either of these two games this year. Both teams were equally matched, played hard and coached by perhaps the area's best. Both games could have gone either way and if poets had written the outcome, this home and home series would have split and yet luck (and a nice inbounds play with 6 sec and almost countered by a 1.7 Baylor play) went Bradley's way both times. So thank you to both Baylor and Bradley coaches and players for a great experience...with only one request...would Baylor's AD please consider moving the student body from behind/on top of the opposing team's bench, an arrangement not allowed for obvious reasons in almost any other venue? Adolescent minds don't need encouragement to be dumb and no student body not even Baylor's can be expected to resist temptation once encouraged. Students belong behind their home players or opposite the visiting teams bench and there appears to be room for that here where they are more likely to be supportive of the home team instead of degrading to the opposition. Baylor is a marvelous institution whose resources are the envy of most schools. Yet, by allowing students to sit on top of a visiting team's bench is covertly allowing and encouraging suspect behavior and is just not befitting the character and example of this fine institution.

Good game...MC press faceguarding in the first half costs them part of the 10-0 run yet the isolation adjustment for Massengail in the second half was nice and worked partially due to Bradley's early foul trouble in part due to the tight officiating. Bradley missed several open lay ups and free throws from thier more consistent players in the second half that kept this game close. MC's substitution pattern was nice and kept legs fresh...Bradley's front five of four seniors (two Lee signees) and one sophomore is perhaps just more athletic and consistent than thier younger MC counterparts. MC should have a very nice year...keep in mind Bradley is a veteran AAA team expected to do well this year. While its customary to complain about officating...this crew was particulaly inept, marked by two technicals on MC, one on the coach and one on Massengail...both without prior warning of any kind in an emotionally charged game. Last note...MC coach's paper comments about his team playing "awful" was unfortunate...not accurate at all and demeans his and Bradleys players' efforts...would be curious as to how his efforts might be rated.