Crimson Cage Trip, Although Without Victory, Gave Valuable Experience

When Coach Earl Brown's Varsity squad left on their Midwestern basketball tour last month they expected to win perhaps one game and gain valuable experience against some of the better teams in the Midwest. They were rated underdogs in every contest and many expected them to be drubbed by some large scores.

They didn't win a game; neither were they drubbed. But they did gain experience and today stand greatly improved over their play of last December.

In every one of their five games, the team usually fell slightly behind and then rallied to tie the score, only to lose in the last few minutes of play. Each contest was a close match with the Crimson in the game to the final whistle. Bradley Tech won by four points after the game had been tied at 44-44 with only two minutes to play. Detroit won by five points, and Illinois by six.

A touring team is always at a disadvantage with the inconveniences of travel, and it is a question whether the Crimson could have played better ball without these disadvantages. Lack of reserves, weariness of train rides, strange courts, and strange backboards were to be met and taken in stride. These are not excuses for defeat but rather are examples of what a visiting team must face when it plays away from home.

All in all, the Crimson encountered four different types of backboards on the whole trip. Detroit had a glass backboard, Bradley Tech owned a fan-shaped metal one, Michigan State had a plain sheet of glass, and Illionis and Notre Dame used the regulation board made of metal instead of wood.

Illionis presented the potentially greatest team in Coach Brown's opinion although the Crimson lost to them by only six points. Detroit and Michigan State were the weaker teams on the schedule, but against them the squad played its poorest ball, losing to Michigan State by 11 points and to Detroit by five.

None of the men played a consistently good brand of ball. Joe Romano was high scorer with 46 points, followed by "Chick" Lutz with 37. Bunks Burditt was hot for a couple of games and colected 21 for the trip.

Everywhere the team was received with fine hospitality. Bunks Burditt's family was host to the team for Christmas dinner, and Ed Rothschild had open house for the squad on New Year's Eve.

One of the better basketball courts was the floor at Michigan State. Situated in a $1,000,000 field house, the court is one of the most modern in the country. At Bradiey Tech the team was forced to play in the High School gym because the Army had taken over the Armory where the games are usually played.

Coach Brown made one definite discovery on the trip. The team moves a lot faster on the dance floor than on the basketball court. It seems, according to Brown, that the Eastern technique far surpasses that of the Middlewest.