Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

Hello all,
Late last night frustrated with a rather quiet night on the MTSU message boards I decided to come check out what's going on in BG. I read through quite a few threads to sort of get an impression of your team, which I know very little about, and your fans. I wasn't able to get too good of an impression of your team, but I'm sure some of you will be more than willing to fill me in. Your fans however, all seem to be about like us. Trying to not look ahead to the tournament too much, but it's a bit difficult considering the winning streaks we're both riding, and how we've dismantled our league competition.

Just to fill you in on our team, we have two games left, tomorrow at Troy and saturday hosting FAU. When we hosted Troy earlier in the season we won 90-55 and when we went down to FAU earlier we won 78-48. So there's no real worry this week. We should head down to Lafayette, LA for the conference tournament with 26 wins overall and our winning streak extended to 23. Our losses this season came at home against, then #1, Maryland 80-76, at home against SD State 72-61, just three days after almost knocking off the defending national champions we just came out flat, and at Tennessee 88-64. Our signature win is at, then #8, Georgia. We also have semi-impressive non-conference wins against ODU, Chattanooga, and Minnesota. We've won our conference tourny 3 years in a row and shouldn't have too much trouble making it 4 in a couple of weeks. Our coach, Rick Insell, is in his 2nd season, after Stephanie Smith who started our run took the Alabama job. Coach Insell, coached at Shelbyville Central High School for nearly 30 years winning 9 state titles, 2 national championships and 2 national coach of the years. We play full court press for 40 minutes force 35+ turnovers a game and shoot the three ball very well, hitting 18 one game and 17 in another. We're led by reigning Sun Belt POY and a lock WNBA 1st rounder, Senior Chrissy Givens, as well as former JUCO all american Amber Holt.

We're hoping to finish the season as near the top 10 as possible, just as you are I imagine. We're really hoping to get up to a 3 seed, but considering the committee we realize that is doubtful. Anyway, I suppose that's enough rambling for now...

Tell me about the Lady Falcons...

By the way, feel free to come by our message boards

http://middletennessee.rivals.com/forum ... 2&fid=2118

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=349#S=349&F=2395

First off -- welcome! I've been following your team since the beginning of the year, and am very impressed, especially by the UGA and Maryland games.

As far as our team, I'll try and give a brief synopsis. Our team is built on defense, hard work, and execution. Outside of our conference, we aren't always going to be the most talented team, but you can bet your ass we'll work the hardest and be the most intense. Our team is also extremely versatile. We have a lot of players with some unusual and unique skill sets. For example, our Center is only 5-11, but she has an extremely long wingspan and has set the school record for blocks while almost never being in foul trouble. She also hits a ton of threes, and has set records out there as well. I've never seen a C with as good a 3-point shot as she has.

Our team is probably the most experienced in the country. 4 Seniors and a junior in the starting line up, and all 5 have started ever since they set foot on campus. Our fifth senior is the runaway sixth man of the year in our conference. She would start and star for every other team in the conference. She had 21 points last night on 8-8 shooting off the bench. Another bench player, Goldsberry, leads the team in steals off the bench and is a great 3 point shooter. Our experience is what gives us an edge over the more talented teams we'll face in the tournament.

We usually press about half the time on defense, and switch liberally between zone and pressure man-man schemes, often on a make-miss basis. We are very comfortable in either defense, and we also force a ton of turnovers and usually convert most of them into fast break points.

Our unquestioned leaders are Ali Mann, a 6-2 post that shoots extremely well from 3 and mid-range, and Kate Achter, a tough as nails, speedy PG that can create for herself and her teammates against anybody. We go as those 2 go.

If you get FSN OH, the semis and finals of the MAC tournament will be televised, and we are also expected to waltz through it with little resistance. Our run is up to 39 straight MAC wins. We've also won I think 18 or 19 overall, 29 straight at home (longest in the country), and have only 5 losses since the beginning of last year. Those losses have come @ Kentucky in overtime, @ ND in overtime, vs Duke in Cancun (by 9, led midway through the second half), vs UCLA in the tourney last year, and vs Delaware in a tournament.

You and your fellow Raiders are welcome here anytime. I think that between us, G-dub, and the CAA teams, the little guy has as good a chance as any to make some serious noise in March. Good luck!

Let's put it this way...our womens team can beat our mens team...just kidding...Welcome to the BEST site in all D1 athletics!

Coming down to see your campus this weekend with the BG baseball team. We might need a little help as this will be our first time outdoors!
You also have one of our asst men's basketball coaches from a coupel years ago at MTSU in Artie Pepela.

Coming down to see your campus this weekend with the BG baseball team. We might need a little help as this will be our first time outdoors!
You also have one of our asst men's basketball coaches from a coupel years ago at MTSU in Artie Pepela

Factman, I hope you enjoy Murfreesboro, it's been absolutely frigid(for Tennesssee anyway)up until yesterday. Today it got up to 70. Hopefully the nice weather will continue through the weekend. Baseball is unfortunately the worst of our facilities, I've seen high school stadiums that are much nicer. We are doing a $6 million renovation this coming off-season, but unfortunately you'll have to deal with what we have right now. Honestly my favorite way to take in a baseball game at Reese Smith is to break into the football stadium(it sits perpendicular to left field) and watch from the upper deck concourse right over center field. I'm not sure how well visting fans would be welcomed just wandering in there, but if you met up with some Middle fans they'd probably be willing to take you up there. Unless I end up working friday I'll be at the game, and that's where I'll be sitting. With the game on saturday starting at 1pm, you could probably make the 2nd half of women's basketball game, if you'd be interested in doing that, and the men play at 7pm, though our men are nowhere near as good as our women.

Make sure you check out Toot's while you're here. Think a slightly more family appropriate locally owned Hooters. Good wings, cold beer, great ribs. If you tell them it's your first time you'll get a free basket of the house speciality, fried dill pickle chips, it may sound a little strange, but they're a gift from god. If you'd like some more reccomendations I can make them and I'll gladly go with you to Toot's if you'd like a local host.