If the Tourney started today . . . . .

[onpoint]

Ahh, yes. You knew it was coming. Here's how it would look if we assume the highest ranked team in each conference were to win their tourneys. Of course this is all for fun and very presumptious, but why not?? I've separated each "bracket" by color.

1. UCSB
16. Texas Tech

8. Florida State
9. Oakland


4. BYU
13. Georgia Tech

5. Michigan
12. Oregon


2. Colorado State
15. Minnesota-Duluth

7. Colorado
10. Virginia Tech


3. Sonoma State
14. Lindenwood

6. Arizona
11. Boston College

Interesting matchups? Possible quarterfinal games would be CSU/CU and Sonoma/Arizona. Looking further, the WCLL, RMLC and the SELC would have the same amount of teams in the tournament (3) while the CCLA would have 2 and everyone else would have 1. Ranked teams left out would be UC-San Diego and Simon Fraser. Everyone else is ranked high enough to get in as is.

[bste_lax]

Oakland-FSU would be a fun one.

[Kyle Berggren]

We can see the Oregon Michigan game by the end of the month....

[byualum]

Second round BYU/Michigan would be a great game given their performance last weekend.

[CATLAX MAN]

In this scenario, most likely upset in round #1. . . . .VA Tech over Colorado.

[onpoint]

Which would not be the first time a Va Tech team played CU in the first round. 2000 was the same, I believe.

[Dan Wishengrad]

Nice idea, but I'm sure glad the tourney is not being picked today!

[dukeuniv21]

VA Tech wouldn't be Colorado

[Walter]

I just dont think that the SELC gets 3 in. Those three will not be able to withstand the confrence losses that each will pick up playing each other. I think we will see 2 teams step up as the clear cut contenders from the SELC. Also I said this in another post but I am not sold on Oakland and the CCLA getting in 2. I think you will see 4 out of the RMLC and 4 out of the WCLL.

[Bentiss]

I said this in another post but I am not sold on Oakland and the CCLA getting in 2.

I'm not telling you you're wrong, but why are you not sold on them? Have you just not seen them? They have been an up and coming program in the MDIA...
2 years ago they had a solid showing in St. Louis, they would have been there last year if not for a suspension, and they are currently ranked #9.

Shake the crap out of your magic 8 ball...ALL SIGNS POINT TO YES.

Unless you have seen Oakland play, saying that you are not sold on them is pretty ignorant.

[Danny Hogan]

I just dont think that the SELC gets 3 in. Those three will not be able to withstand the confrence losses that each will pick up playing each other. I think we will see 2 teams step up as the clear cut contenders from the SELC. Also I said this in another post but I am not sold on Oakland and the CCLA getting in 2. I think you will see 4 out of the RMLC and 4 out of the WCLL.

what about the conference losses the 4th wcll team and 4th rmlc teams will get against their higher-ranked counterparts?

[Walter]

Shake the crap out of your magic 8 ball...ALL SIGNS POINT TO YES.

This is a good line. Congrads Bentiss.
But seriously, a one goal win against Texas calls for speculation of mediocrity. THe biggest problem we have now is that Oakland U does not have a top 25 team for a month, allowing them to stay at the top. On that note, Oakland will not be ready for Michigan and then Miami, and that will knock them out.

[Bentiss]

Quote:

Shake the crap out of your magic 8 ball...ALL SIGNS POINT TO YES.


This is a good line. Congrads Bentiss.

I don't know what the congrats are for, but I do know that the line was meant to sound childish/stupid in a sarcastic way...

You can't say that they WON'T be ready for Michigan and Miami. I know that Pittsburgh is 4-0 and played well last year...That may be a good game. The bottom line is that the top 10 spot is theirs to lose. They must play well and win convincingly, and that I believe they will do.

They have a very, very, very potent attack and a larger team than they are accustomed to, which means a more conditioned and healthy team (hypothetically) come the end of the year.

In St. Louis 2 years ago they went 2-1 and only had 16 players. One of those players was real, real, real sweet (he had a moustache, and still should), but he had a broken arm. He's pretty much the best lacrosse player ever...

[bbandlax]

what about the conference losses the 4th wcll team and 4th rmlc teams will get against their higher-ranked counterparts?

That is a great point. Will Utah be able to withstand the 4 losses in games which they are the underdogs (CU, BYU, CSU, and one more in the RMLC playoffs). UCSD will most likely have loses to UCSB, AZ, and one more in the WCLL playoffs (they also have ASU, Texas A&M, Texas Cal Poly and GA Tech). Their GA Tech game may be the key game to see if the WCLL gets 4 and the SELC gets 3.

VA Tech has one more OOC game left. If they beat LMU (their in conference schedule is pretty soft from here on out, minus VA Tech/FSU) voters will be hard pressed to drop them out of the top 16 for the rest of the season.

GA Tech has a harder road ahead. Again a lot will be riding on the UCSD/GA Tech game on 3/18. They also play Stanford and MIT on that road trip. If they come out of that trip 3-0 they should be in great shape because they will be favorites for the rest of their regular season schedule.

I think in the end VA Tech will make it to MN and GA Tech (due to a loss to UCSD and losing to VA Tech in the SELC playoffs) will not make it. I think UCSD will win enough of its tough remaining games to put them on the plain to MN. Utah is left without dancing shoes. 5 losses (albeit to very good teams) plus a tough game against Cal Poly is just too much to overcome.

[Danny Hogan]

what about the conference losses the 4th wcll team and 4th rmlc teams will get against their higher-ranked counterparts?

That is a great point. Will Utah be able to withstand the 4 losses in games which they are the underdogs (CU, BYU, CSU, and one more in the RMLC playoffs). UCSD will most likely have loses to UCSB, AZ, and one more in the WCLL playoffs (they also have ASU, Texas A&M, Texas Cal Poly and GA Tech). Their GA Tech game may be the key game to see if the WCLL gets 4 and the SELC gets 3.

VA Tech has one more OOC game left. If they beat LMU (their in conference schedule is pretty soft from here on out, minus VA Tech/FSU) voters will be hard pressed to drop them out of the top 16 for the rest of the season.

GA Tech has a harder road ahead. Again a lot will be riding on the UCSD/GA Tech game on 3/18. They also play Stanford and MIT on that road trip. If they come out of that trip 3-0 they should be in great shape because they will be favorites for the rest of their regular season schedule.

I think in the end VA Tech will make it to MN and GA Tech (due to a loss to UCSD and losing to VA Tech in the SELC playoffs) will not make it. I think UCSD will win enough of its tough remaining games to put them on the plain to MN. Utah is left without dancing shoes. 5 losses (albeit to very good teams) plus a tough game against Cal Poly is just too much to overcome.

can't forget about my boys at UF, they were dragged from the rankings by texas AM this week, but they have ample opportunity to make up for it with their remaining schedule:

Texas
Chico
Oregon
Colorado
Michigan
FSU
SELC Playoffs