NCAA Division I tourney update

[Brent Burns]

Two things:

1)Granted most of you have been watching ESPNU, so y'all know about the final scores.

2)Granted that "MCLA is on your mind" with two days for the MCLA tourney to rumble.

Anyway, for those who do not have access to ESPNU, here are the results:

Duke 18 Providence 3
Navy 8 North Carolina 12
Duke vs. North Carolina at Annapolis

Albany 19 Loyola 10
Cornell 14 Towson 6
Cornell vs. Albany at Princeton

Johns Hopkins 11 Notre Dame 10 (OT)
Georgetown 9 Princeton 8 (OT)
Johns Hopkins vs. Georgetown at Princeton

Maryland 9 UMBC 13 (playing tonight at 7:30 pm EDT)
Delaware 14 Virginia 8
Delaware vs. UMBC at Annapolis

[Sonny]

Duke vs. North Carolina at Annapolis

Ironic that two bitter rivals, separated by only 8 miles, are playing in Annapolis for the right to go to the Final Four.

[laxdefenseman4]

UMBC vs Maryland update: 5-5 half way through the second

[Brent Burns]

NOTE:

Syracuse failed to make the tourney.

UVa, last year's champions, is out.

Princeton is knocked out.

The only one standing around after the first round is Johns Hopkins. Generally speaking, we have been seeing Syracuse, UVa, Princeton, Hop going all the way to the FF's.

Hopefully, we will get to see a new group of 4 FF teams.

It could be Duke, Albany, Georgetown, and Delaware.

Or it could be another combination of different four Final Four teams.

Isn't that great?

[laxdefenseman4]

hopefully the ncaa div 1 tournament is a preview of what will happen in the mcla tournament with some upsets and some new programs cracking into the top 8, final four, and into the finals...

[Gvlax]

I like upsets but all these upsets could be a loss to the NCAA tournament coming to Baltimore. I know they have almost sold out but how interested will people be if its Albany vs UMBC... just might be too much too fast.

[StrykerFSU]

how interested will people be if its Albany vs UMBC... just might be too much too fast.

That's an interesting point. There didn't even seem to be that many people at the Md v. UMBC game, though it can be hard to tell how many people are there given that Byrd is absolutely huge. A less than marquee matchup in the Final Four might hurt the walk-up a bit but I don't think it would really have that negative of an impact. As you said, many if not most tickets are already sold and while some people might be waiting until we get the Final Four teams before buying tickets I think that we will still see a new attendance record regardless of who wins next weekend.

My picks are Duke, Hopkins, Cornell and Delaware (yay, we're in Delaware). If that happens, that's three marquee teams and a Cinderella. I'd buy tickets for that.

[nine]

haven't seen any D1 lax so far this year, but managed to catch a couple games this weekend at my parents house. apparently bright house in Orlando has ESPNU but not in Tampa.
Couple things:

- I liked what i saw in Albany. i know they've had a good season but its tough to tell with some of the scores and teams they've played. they were real fast and kept momentum.

- the ND/Hop game was great. tough break for ND.

- the game winner for Gtown/Princeton looked like a completely blown defensive assignment. i watched a re-play of it about 5 times. 2 crease d-men just stood and watched as the coverguy got smoked. anyone think they had some sort of no-slide package going on or did those d-guys really blow it that bad?

[laxdefenseman4]

I don't think it would hurt the attendance if a team like UMBC gets into the Final Four. In fact, I think it would help. Everyone loves seeing a cinderella story. Now if the entire Final Four was cinderella teams it might hurt but I'll bet money that doesn't happen. But if there is one or two i think it would be fun. Also, it always brings out the "closet fans." You know, the ones who have never gone to a certain teams game, but now that they are in the finals they are a die-hard fan that liked them before they were good. Think of all the hype George Mason got in the NCAA basketball tournament a year ago. I think it would be good for the sport.

[mholtz]

- the ND/Hop game was great. tough break for ND.

-

I had to go to a local bar to get to watch this. It was on a small screen in one corner. It was such a good game it eventually made it onto the big screen. Everyone in the bar was into it.

That was one of the best I've seen in a while.

[beckner11]

I hope Duke wins it all, considering how badly their school screwed them over last season!!

[Chowdah Head]

I like upsets but all these upsets could be a loss to the NCAA tournament coming to Baltimore. I know they have almost sold out but how interested will people be if its Albany vs UMBC... just might be too much too fast.

I completely disagree. In fact, I think the lacrosse world is ready for a change, and to watch some teams other than Syracuse, Maryland, Princeton, Virginia and Hopkins on Memorial Day weekend. I love the parity that's developing in Division 1, and how teams like Delaware and Albany, who don't have the same tradition as the powerhouses have a serious shot at winning it all. And I think that it will attract interest, the same way George Mason University did in the 2006 basketball brackets.

[univduke21]

I just think that it is interesting that the #2 and #3 teams had sooooo much trouble, too much in Hopkin's case, in the first round. Seems like the seeds were a little biased.

[univduke21]

Sorry ment UVA not Hopkins

[DwinsChamps]

the game winner for Gtown/Princeton looked like a completely blown defensive assignment. i watched a re-play of it about 5 times. 2 crease d-men just stood and watched as the coverguy got smoked. anyone think they had some sort of no-slide package going on or did those d-guys really blow it that bad?

That was totally blown coverage. The Princeton d had been sliding from the crease all day.