NCAA Tournament Predictions

[adam]

Hey everyone,
It's about the time of year where teams start to play for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Here is our most recent bracket breakdown (http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=2&news=fdetail&storyid=160419).

Share your thoughts on here about who you think should be in the tournament. And, if you have any questions about how I arrived at my tournament, feel free to ask away -- I'll try to check back to let you know why I picked the way I did.

For the record, I have a very good track record with NCAA tournament predictions.

[Nigel_Tufnel]

Any chance any of these are going to televised?

[adam]

ESPNU will televise ALL of the NCAA tournament games, with the semifinals and finals being on ESPN2 and ESPN, respectively.. Here's a link to TV games:

http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?PageRID=126799

[navylaxfan]

Thanks for taking this topic on at this time. Is is safe to say that we should not try to "seed" or rank the second 8. For example, you have Navy playing UNC who is seeded 6th. I guess I should not view them as a 11th seed? Also, based on Navy's SOS and and the teams they have beaten, shouldn't they be seeded ahead of Princeton? One more question. If Navy or Princeton is seeded in the top 8, will they more than likely play round two at home since the 2nd round is either at Navy or Princeton?

Thanks,

Navylaxfan

[Mista Hollywood]

if hopkins can actually play smart lacrosse i forsee them definetly going all the way..to the semi's.. the hopkins team this year is so young and like..i dont know. they turn the ball over too much. if they can play like they did against maryland and princeton then i see them going pretty far.

[adam]

Correct- the second eight aren't strictly seeded. The strength of the team does come into play, but geography plays a big factor too... There are travel issues with teams. Since Notre Dame HAS to travel far, for example, the committee wouldn't want to send Siena to Duke, for example.

That being said, the committee won't put the weakest team in the field against the No. 8 seed, it will try its best to match it up against the No. 1 or a high seed.

Honestly, Navy, Princeton and Maryland are all close for that last seeded spot. If Navy beats Hopkins, I'm confident they'll probably be seeded (although should MD make a run through the ACC tournament or should UNC do the same, it could shake things up). You could just as easily have Navy in that 8 spot and Princeton unseeded. People may look at that funny but while Princeton's poll ranking may be high, its NCAA tournament resume isn't that impressive yet. It is similar to 2005 where Cornell was 10-2 going into the NCAA tournament but they were unranked and faced Towson in the first round because of the SOS and RPI being somewhat low.

And yes, Navy and Princeton will be more likely to play at home if seeded.

Right now, the way I did the seedings, I'd have the winners of Hop-Loyola and UVA-Towson and the winners of Duke-UMBC and Gtown-Maryland playing at Navy in the quarters.

And The winners of Cornell-Siena and Princeton-Notre Dame and the winners of Albany-Drexel and UNC-Navy playing at Princeton in the second round.

By the way, from here on out we'll be updating these frequently

[jpaderon]

With the big match-ups this weekend for the top ranked teams, how far would #1 Cornell (vs. Princeton) and #3 Albany (vs. SU) fall in the tournament seeding if they lost. Will Cornell & Albany remain in the top 8 seeding?

Also, I like your explanation on Bucknell, I had them going in the tournament based on their record as an At-Large team but my question to you is re: Towson and Drexel. You had Towson as an AQ with Drexel as an At-Large. What if Drexel wins the Colonial, will Towson be in?

By the way, thanks for doing this tournament field and for the future updates.

[Hounds4life]

How much of a chance does Loyola have?

[jdturtle02]

First of all, my 2007 Braveheart Award nomination goes to Adam O'Neill for unleashing this puppy days before Albany at Syracuse; a week before Navy at Hopkins and Princeton at Cornell; and two weeks before the ACC Tournament Face-off in Durham. Then, after making the challenge, looks us straight in the eye as he straps on the armor and tells us he’s been pretty good at picking the NCAA Tournament Field … that’s the kind of gut punch you can’t help but respect! It’s going to be fun to see how the rest of the season totally trashes our early predictions. As for picks, I for one have taken more hits than a Navy attack during a Maryland game ...

NCAA First Round:

1. Cornell vs. Siena
8. Navy vs. Princeton

4. Virginia vs. Loyola
5. Johns Hopkins vs. Towson

2. Duke vs. UMBC
7. Maryland vs. North Carolina

3. Albany vs. Drexel
6. Georgetown vs. Notre Dame


Quarterfinals: (at Princeton)

1. Cornell vs. Navy
3. Albany vs. Georgetown

Quarterfinals: (at Navy)

2. Duke vs. Maryland
4. Virginia vs. Johns Hopkins


This is how I see it right now. I couldn’t put Navy in the “Duke” bracket -- so the Mids could stay at home -- ahead of Maryland or Georgetown, both of which beat the Midshipmen and have four wins against ranked teams compared to Navy’s three. Maryland has two wins against the top 10, the Hoyas have one, and Navy has one. If Navy was slotted below Princeton, which could happen for the sake of regional balance (as much as that is possible this season), they'd be in the same boat -- a first round game between Navy and Princeton (oh yeah!) for a berth in the Northern Quarterfinal. Georgetown got the sixth seed because of its win over the Terps, despite Maryland's better strength of schedule, which will improve come ACC Tourney time. (But this is about now, right?)

I also couldn't seed North Carolina, a team on the rise but 0-3 in the ACC. Wins over Johns Hopkins and Notre Dame are statements, but that's it for the Tar Heels against ranked opponents. I really want to see Drexel in the NCAA Tournament -- after wins over No. 1 Virginia and Delaware, and a quality loss to Albany (16-13) at historic Franklin Field, they deserve a shot as much as anyone on the “bubble.” Plus I like that fire-breathing dragon on their website.

[cbhslacrossemid]

I understand these are predictions, but why is everyone giving Bucknell the shaft? They deserve a playoff spot.

[wally085]

great danes great danes watch out for them bABY wow dicky v what have u done to me or Hopkins

[radman]

Im placing my bets on Duke having a miracle season, considering all the turmoil they have left behind. :agree:

[middleton23]

hey does anyone know if you order tickets online, do they send them to your house? i ordered mine like 2 weeks ago and still havent got them.

[atacklax]

hey does anyone know if you order tickets online, do they send them to your house? i ordered mine like 2 weeks ago and still havent got them.
Not really relevant to the thread. But yes, they send them to your house, but not until early May (I think).

As for the predictions adam made, I can't argue with what he said, it all makes sense.

[mcourtne]

Hi Adam,

I have the same question as Jpaderon. Why did you pick Towson to win the Colonial when Drexel is in front right now? Drexel beat Delaware pretty handly and Towson struggled against them. Towson lost to Hofstra, who lost to Delaware. Drexel's last two games are in their conference, Towson and Hofstra. Towson has Drexel and Hopkins left and I'm taking Hopkins over Towson. I'm guessing that you think Drexel will lose one or both of their last two Colonial games. To me, it looks too close to call. If they end up tied, does Towson win the tie breaker because they will have beat Drexel? I'm going to get to watch the Towson @ Drexel game Saturday night. Can't wait. By the way I got to see the Penn's womens team clinch the Ivy title tonight. Maybe they will go all the way and win the NCAAs Philadelphia.

[bstewart]

David Mitchell will lead Cornell to the promised land this year. The team is balanced from front to back. They simply have too much depth this year!

[mcourtne]

Hi Adam,

I have the same question as Jpaderon. Why did you pick Towson to win the Colonial when Drexel is in front right now? Drexel beat Delaware pretty handly and Towson struggled against them. Towson lost to Hofstra, who lost to Delaware. Drexel's last two games are in their conference, Towson and Hofstra. Towson has Drexel and Hopkins left and I'm taking Hopkins over Towson. I'm guessing that you think Drexel will lose one or both of their last two Colonial games. To me, it looks too close to call. If they end up tied, does Towson win the tie breaker because they will have beat Drexel? I'm going to get to watch the Towson @ Drexel game Saturday night. Can't wait. By the way I got to see the Penn's womens team clinch the Ivy title tonight. Maybe they will go all the way and win the NCAAs Philadelphia.

Adam

I read today that you pick Drexel over Towson

Update: 4/22 Drexel lost a close one to Towson


I just learned that their conferance winner is determined in a playoff and that the regular season record determines the seadings and who gets home field.

[jdturtle02]

April 22 Update:

Despite three losses in the top ten this weekend, the top eight seeds in my NCAA Tournament Bracket remain unchanged. Only two teams in my second eight moved, and they simply traded places. Considering my game prediction nightmares all season … that's not too shabby.

NCAA First Round:

1. Cornell vs. Siena
8. Navy vs. North Carolina

4. Virginia vs. Loyola
5. Johns Hopkins vs. Towson

2. Duke vs. UMBC
7. Maryland vs. Princeton

3. Albany vs. Drexel
6. Georgetown vs. Notre Dame

Quarterfinals: (at Princeton)

1. Cornell vs. Navy
3. Albany vs. Georgetown

Quarterfinals: (at Navy)

2. Duke vs. Maryland
4. Virginia vs. Johns Hopkins

Albany lost to 16th-ranked Syracuse at the Carrier Dome 17-13, but the Great Danes keep the No. 3 seed because their 11-1 record is the second best in Division I, their 5 wins against ranked teams is the fourth best log in the field (tied with Hopkins), and because No. 4 Virginia narrowly survived another scare by an unranked team, 10-9 over Dartmouth. Remember Binghamton?

Navy lost a barn-burner to No. 5 Johns Hopkins 10-9 at Homewood Field and dropped to 9-3 on the season, but keeps its No. 8 seed because its other two setbacks were one-goal losses to No. 6 Georgetown and to No. 7 Maryland in overtime. I was tempted to move Maryland up after its 14-10 win over Penn at Franklin Field. That score doesn’t reflect the Terps’ domination in the final quarter and a half as they built a 14-8 lead. Coach Dave Cottle played deep down the roster in the fourth quarter and deserves credit for keeping the score respectable. Nice job, coach. The Hoyas beat UMass 8-7.

Princeton lost to No. 1 Cornell 10-6 and was the only team to fall, from the ninth slot to 10th below North Carolina. Regardless of their ranking, I don’t feel the Tigers have earned a seed. The Tar Heels beat Providence 15-5, but aren’t seeded because they’re 0-3 in the ACC and have only two wins against ranked teams. Drexel (10-4, 4-1 CAA) lost a heart-breaker to league leader No. 12 Towson 9-8, but stays in the field and matched up with No. 3 Albany as a regional pairing. The Dragons still possess the strongest resume among “bubble” teams. Might consider the winner of the Patriot League Tournament semifinal between Colgate (9-4, 5-1) and Bucknell (11-3, 4-2) if they have a good showing in the title game, but only if Drexel trips before the CAA Tournament final. Syracuse (5-6) claimed a huge win over Albany, but is not yet eligible for a tournament berth.

[mcourtne]

April 22 Update:

I was tempted to move Maryland up after its 14-10 win over Penn at Franklin Field. That score doesn’t reflect the Terps’ domination in the final quarter and a half as they built a 14-8 lead. Coach Dave Cottle played deep down the roster in the fourth quarter and deserves credit for keeping the score respectable. Nice job, coach.

Penn was leading 7 to 6 in the third quater. I'm not so sure sure Coach Cottle is as benevolent as you make him out to be. Max Ritz scored the last MD goal with 2 min left in the game. He's not a player you will find deep in the roster. Coach Cottle didn't do such a good job of keeping the score respectable in the past two years. (the two years Penn hosted the NCAA finals.) In 05 they played the game at Lincoln Finacial field, the score was Penn 6 - MD 21. In 06 it was 4-12.

[jdturtle02]

Just my opinion based on what I saw, and I don't mean to make Coach Cottle sound like Mother Theresa. But I'm quite certain the final score could have been worse for the Quakers. You can't tell a player like Max Ritz to ignore a good shot. And you don't take all your weapons off the field no matter what the score. But you can, as a coach, "control" the action with substitutions, which I felt he did. Maryland's 8-1 run from the 11:04 mark of the 3rd quarter to the 2:23 mark of the 4th is the definition of dominance, and two of the Terps' last four goals were scored by freshman Fran Gormley and Jon Beard -- not high-profilers. The other score in that run was sophomore Dan Groot's EMO goal.

In 2006 Maryland graduated four players who were drafted into the MLL in the first 27 picks ... Joe Walters, Bill McGlone, Xander Ritz and Brendan Healy ... They were among 7 All-Americans on that team, along with goalie Harry Alford and defensemen Steve Whittenberg and Ray Megill. Those four seniors were one of the highest scoring classes in Maryland history, and played their way into three Final Fours. Although ranked No. 10 in 2006, Penn never had a chance. I guarantee that 12-4 score could have been much worse for the Quakers. In 2005, after a three-game losing streak and a 5-5 start, nothing was going to keep those same Terps from "unloading" against an unranked Penn team just before the NCAAs, and I doubt there's a coach in America who would have tried.

[jr0837]

Yale beat UMAss early and was even with both #2 Albany and #5 Princeton until losing 5-3 and 12-10. Had a double OT loss AT Penn and just beat Dartmouth by (3) days before Dartmouth had UVa on the ropes.

Penn has played a similar schedule to Yale in non Ivy games....

[r1las]

Syracuse will play Albany, in another great game ,at Albany in the first round..

[LacrsseJsusFrek]

Ok, so let me get this straight. I know that the automatic bids are for those teams that win their conference. And that you get an at large bid with a combination of RPI and strength of schedule. And then the games are played do to the region the teams are in? I guess all the ranked 1-8 teams play an unranked team that is close to them? And how do they decide where to play all these games? Just some questions since this is the first year I am really getting into the playoffs and not just watching them!

[jdturtle02]

Adam can explain this better, but the top eight seeds play the opening round at home. The winners of those games advance to the Northern Quarterfinals doubleheader (Princeton) and the Southern Quarterfinals (Navy). My understanding from writing about the tourney a few years back is that the format is set so the higher seeds will play in their respective regions ... so Cornell and Albany will probably be scheduled for the Northern quarters, and Duke and Virginia scheduled for the Southern. Pairings may also be impacted on that basis ... if the selection committee can, within reason, they will match the non-seeded eight to keep them in their respective regions. If Syracuse makes the field, my guess is the Orange would probably be "paired" with Cornell or Albany. If Princeton doesn't earn a seed, they could be slotted in the field to face Cornell or Albany in the quarters if they advance. That's not always possible, but it seems like the NCAA does well in that regard. Two prime objectives of the NCAA-USILA partnership are growth and development of the game, and spurring fan interest. Keeping teams close to home in the quarterfinal round is the best way to achieve the second of those.

[jdturtle02]

April 30 Update:

This weekend’s action definitely clarified the NCAA Tournament picture for me. Although the order of several selections has changed, all of the teams in my original bracket are still in the field. Three automatic qualifiers (AQ) are still undecided, but I think only Siena would miss the Big Show without a conference crown.

NCAA First Round:

1. Cornell vs. Siena
8. Navy vs. Albany

4. Johns Hopkins vs. North Carolina
5. Georgetown vs. Towson

2. Duke vs. Drexel
7. Princeton vs. Notre Dame

3. Virginia vs. UMBC
6. Maryland vs. Loyola


Quarterfinals: (at Princeton)

1. Cornell vs. Navy/Albany
2. Duke vs. Princeton/Notre Dame

Quarterfinals: (at Navy)

3. Virginia vs. Maryland/Loyola
4. Johns Hopkins vs. Georgetown/Towson


At first I wasn’t sold on Adam’s inclusion of Johns Hopkins (7-4) as one of the top four seeds, but I am now after Albany’s shocking loss to Binghamton. Virginia, Hopkins, Georgetown and Maryland all moved up a notch because of the Great Danes’ two-game slide. Maryland (9-5) lost a thrilling scrap to 3rd-ranked Virginia (12-3) in the ACC Tournament, 11-10, but rose to No. 6 because of its performance on the field; record against ranked teams (four wins, two against the top 10, and all its losses to teams in the top five); and strength of schedule -- the Terps have played nine games against the other 15 teams in the bracket.

Navy (11-3), with one-goal losses to Hopkins, Georgetown (10-2) and Maryland, keeps the No. 8 seed after cruising to the Patriot League Tournament title, and would host now-unseeded Albany (14-2) in the first round, with the winner advancing to the Northern Quarterfinals to face the winner of No. 1 Cornell (12-0) vs. Siena. After dispatching Dartmouth, previously unseeded Princeton (9-3) becomes the second-highest northern seed at No. 7, and would host Notre Dame (10-3) for a spot in the Northern Quarters. In an eight-team field No. 2 plays No. 7, so in my bracket the winner of No. 2 Duke’s (13-2) first-round game in Durham would travel north to face the winner of No. 7 Princeton vs. Notre Dame.

Seven of the unseeded teams in my original bracket remain unseeded: Notre Dame clinched the Great Western Lacrosse League AQ. North Carolina (9-5) would draw a rematch with No. 4 Hopkins. Towson (8-5, 5-1 CAA), which played Hopkins tough before bowing 9-7 on Saturday, is the leader for the Colonial Athletic Association AQ. Siena (10-5, 7-1 MAAC) is poised to claim the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title and would face No. 1 Cornell.

Loyola (7-4, 5-2 ECAC) clinched second place in the ECAC behind No. 5 Georgetown by crushing Hobart 17-10, and will close its season at Johns Hopkins this Saturday. The Greyhounds have beaten No. 2 Duke, 12th-ranked Syracuse and UMass, and should get a bid even if they lose at Homewood Field. The Drexel Dragons, (11-4, 5-1 CAA after beating Hofstra), are in as an at-large with marquee wins at then-No. 1 Virginia and over then-No. 10 Delaware. The No. 2 seed Dragons might well win the CAA Tournament AQ this week, in which case Towson would get an at-large bid based on strength of schedule and quality wins over Ohio State, Drexel and Delaware. UMBC (9-4, 4-1 America East) blasted previously ranked Stony Brook (8-4, 2-3) on Long Island Saturday, 13-5, and would meet No. 3 Virginia as my next-to-last but deserving at-large, unless the Retrievers win the AEC Tournament AQ. They’ve already beaten Towson, Ohio State and Penn; and their 13-9 loss at conference foe Albany wasn’t a blowout.

Missing the cut:

UMass (7-6, 4-2 ECAC) -- The Minutemen have come close against NCAA-bound teams, losing to Georgetown 8-7 and Loyola 10-8 in ECAC play, and to Albany 10-9. Their other losses are to Hofstra, Yale and Brown. Their most notable win was over Syracuse (5-7) Saturday. A win over Rutgers in the season finale won’t do much to strengthen their case.

Penn (6-5, 3-3 Ivy League) -- Great strength of schedule, but at some point you have to win some of those big games and the Quakers haven’t done that. Penn is 0-5 against Bucknell, UMBC, Maryland, Princeton and Cornell, the only NCAA contenders on its schedule.

Colgate (10-5, 5-1 Patriot League) -- Whipped by Navy in the Patriot League Tournament championship, the Raiders are 0-4 against NCAA contenders Navy (twice), Albany and Cornell. Their biggest win was over then-No. 9 Army 9-7, which finished the regular season with a 6-7 record.

Bucknell (11-4, 4-2 Patriot) -- The Bisons’ hopes vanished when they lost to Colgate in their season finale, and again in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.

[jdturtle02]

Just read Adam's latest bracket, and all I can say is ... let's go! I'm ready. Two things in his bracket have already made my day: the inclusion of Drexel in the field ... I'm pulling for the Dragons in the CAA, this is a worthy party crasher and deserves a berth, but I'd like to see them make a statement to ease The Man's slight apprehension here.

And a possible Cornell vs. Maryland match-up in the quarters ... AT NAVY ... sweet! Although I believe the Terps deserve a higher seed, I've been eager to see the Big Red and can't imagine a better or more exciting way to do it. Will definitely bank on the "turtle's curse" here and pick Cornell right now!

One last thought ... The conference alignments and automatic qualifiers are supposed to give emerging programs a chance for NCAA bids against the traditional powers for the sake of helping spread the popularity of the game. But it's a double-edged sword. Your team may beat No. 1 Virginia and may knock heavily regarded Delaware out of the top 10, but you can still be left at the altar if all those conference games dilute your SOS and RPI numbers. I'm hoping the selection committee weighs a little heavier on performance on the field and a little less on numbers crunching ... Adam's discussion about deciding that last at-large bid begs for this indulgence.

[Espositos Chops]

no way Hopkins should be seeded ahead of Virginia - Virginia BEAT THEM AT HOMEWOOD! That's ridiculous...

[brunos13]

Finall Four: Cornell, UVA, Duke, Georgetown. Duke takes it all!

[navylaxfan]

jdturtle02-I also welcome Adam's latest bracket. A rematch vs. your Terps, then a home game vs. Cornell would be welcome to Navy fans. I would rather play someone we have not lost to this year, but the Navy vs. Maryland games over the past few years have been great (even though very low scoring). Bring it on! Seems that where Albany is placed is up for debate. Let's see what the committee decides.

[jdturtle02]

Well said navylaxfan ... Man, I sure didn't mean to slight the Mids. To be honest, it was about 5:30 a.m. when I saw that bracket, saw the No. 1 and No. 8 lines with the winner going to Navy for the quarters, and I was there! It was the "your terps" that got me ... I'm a Maryland grad, but try not to be blinded by that. In fact, I picked Navy to beat Maryland earlier this year, and Hopkins, too, and it was a couple of Navy guys who helped me cut my teeth on my first lacrosse stick ... I totally agree that the Midshipmen against the Terps in a first-round match would be great, and I'd be at Navy to see either play Cornell. Don't know how I overlooked that gem, Navy-Maryland has been the most intense, physical rivalry out there over the last decade.

Looks like Drexel may be in trouble, although Delaware and the Dragons have now exchanged 11-7 smack downs, and Drexel still has the two quality wins over highly ranked teams (then-No. 1 Virginia at Charlottesville, then-No. 10 Delaware), close encounters with No. 12 Albany and No. 14 Towson (a one-goal loss), and a tie for the CAA regular season title ... I'll keep the Dragons (11-5) in my bracket for now. They had a bid within their grasp, now it'll be up to the selection committee, unless the Blue Hens snag the AQ. No matter how it works out, Drexel has had a terrific season! Be proud, guys ...

[adam]

Here's the latest bracket.. updated at 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning:

http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=2&news=fdetail&storyid=163127

[navylaxfan]

jdturtle02-No slight was picked up here. I have been to the last 4 Navy/MD games and have a great time at all of them (before, during and after the games). I was amazed that almost 15,000 fans attended the Navy/MD game this year. Navy has had a rough time vs. Georgetown and Hopkins and now Adam has Navy playing Georgetown. I can't believe how much these brackets (at least the 5-8 seeds) change from day to day. To tell you the truth, Maryland and Navy shouldn't being playing each other in round 1. One would have to go home after the first week. Let's hope that Albany loses this weekend and falls out of the top 8 and Navy picks up that 8th seed. Navy just had too many 3rd quarter lapses this year. If they can get past those mistakes, they can beat anybody. Sunday evening can't come soon enough.

[jdturtle02]

Woa, that last bracket from Adam is great stuff. We're in the third quarter, same game, Adam got the face-off and I'm on defense. My 10-year-old nephew says that means I got him right where I want him ... cute little guy, he's the Jiloty worshipper I mentioned in a different thread ... but I'll admit to feeling a little intimidated.

Still not sold on North Carolina with a seed ... they're 0-4 in the ACC, and were soundly thrashed by Navy 19-8. I'll keep the Midshipmen at No. 8 with one-goal losses to No. 4 Hopkins at Homewood, No. 5 Georgetown, and No. 6 Maryland (in overtime). I think the regular season and Patriot League Tournament championships help. Still amazed by that 12-1 win over Army.

I can see Albany at No. 8 with the America East title, but losses to Binghamton (4-9) and Syracuse (5-7) argue against it. Sixth-ranked Princeton is 9-3, and its losses were to No. 1 Cornell, No. 3 Virginia and No. 4 Hopkins ... all on the road! ... Two of those were by one goal. The Tigers will stay at No. 7 in my bracket if they beat Brown Saturday, I think ...

Glad to see Drexel at the top of Adam's "just missed" group. That means there's still a chance for the CAA regular season co-champions. After all, Colgate must still play Syracuse, and I have a feeling the Orange are NOT in a good mood. This one could be ugly. Of course, if Delaware upsets Towson in the CAA final for the AQ, it won't matter.

No changes for me today ... but a noticeable quiver in my fingers!

[jdturtle02]

May 6 -- Final Bracket

This weekend may well have been a sneak preview of what to expect when the NCAA Tournament gets under way next week. Siena, which appeared to be a safe bet in the MAAC, is gone. Delaware upset Towson for the CAA title, and it looks like Drexel and Colgate may be finished. UMBC nearly knocked off Albany in the America East title game to strengthen its claim to an at-large bid. And my bracket has undergone some major revisions.


NCAA First Round:

1. Cornell vs. Providence
8. Navy vs. North Carolina

4. Johns Hopkins vs. UMBC
5. Georgetown vs. Notre Dame

2. Duke vs. Delaware
7. Albany vs. Princeton

3. Virginia vs. Towson
6. Maryland vs. Loyola


Quarterfinals: (at Princeton)

1. Cornell vs. Navy/North Carolina
2. Duke vs. Albany/Princeton


Quarterfinals: (at Navy)

3. Virginia vs. Maryland/Loyola
4. Johns Hopkins vs. Georgetown/Notre Dame


Albany (14-2) claimed the America East title and reclaimed the No. 7 seed, and Princeton (10-3) once again slips to the ranks of the unseeded. The Tigers would face No. 7 Albany in the first round for a shot at No. 2 Duke (13-2) in the Northern Quarterfinals at Princeton Stadium because, in an eight-team alignment, No. 2 plays No. 7. Delaware (11-5) upset Towson for the CAA tournament championship AQ, and would play No. 2 Duke in the first round in Durham. Navy has earned the No. 8 seed over North Carolina (9-5). The Tar Heels are 0-4 in the ACC, and have only one top 10 win, only two against ranked teams overall -- Hopkins and Notre Dame. Navy crushed Carolina 19-8; has quality wins over UNC, Colgate (x2) and Bucknell; are Patriot League regular season and tournament champions; and have solid RPI/SOS numbers (7/16).

Despite losses this weekend, Towson (9-7), UMBC (10-5) and Loyola (7-5) remain in my bracket as at-large selections. All three have strong RPI/SOS numbers and all have quality wins. If the committee agrees, the ascension of Delaware means all of the 16 NCAA berths are filled. If they don’t, there are two teams ready to jump into the fray. I feel Towson appears to be the most vulnerable here, if its SOS and RPI drop after its 10-7 loss to Delaware in the CAA Tournament. The Tigers' quality wins are over Loyola 9-8, Drexel 9-8, and Delaware 10-9.

Clinging to hope:

Drexel (11-5) -- The 15th-ranked Dragons are regular season co-champions of the Colonial Athletic Association, tied with 14th-ranked Towson. Their RPI/SOS ratings of 23/28 might not be eye-popping, but their wins over No. 4 Virginia and No. 17 Delaware are. It’s disappointing to me that beating Delaware is called a quality win for some teams hoping for a bid, but is downplayed when talking about Drexel. I think the Blue Hens deserve more respect. So do the Dragons. It has been said their wins over Virginia and Delaware aren’t enough for a NCAA berth, but that’s two big wins and a regular season league title some of the other guys don‘t have. I would consider Drexel over Towson for the last at-large based on its wins over the Cavaliers and Blue Hens, overall record (four of its losses to NCAA contenders), and a share of the CAA regular season title.

Colgate (11-5) -- The 16th-ranked Raiders finished second in the Patriot League, and lost to Navy 12-8 in the tournament title game. Colgate’s RPI/SOS log of 16/14 is nice, but its record against the teams that elevated that log is not. They are 0-4 against NCAA contenders Navy (twice), Albany and Cornell. Their biggest win was over then-No. 9 Army 9-7, which finished the regular season unranked with a 6-7 record. Saturday’s win over No. 19 Syracuse (5-8) and two over Bucknell don’t quite match the quality wins of Drexel.

[ColtsLax]

i dont get how the 1 and 2 seed have to travel really far for the quarters yet Hop, UVa, UMBC all play right around the corner. shouldnt Duke play at Navy in the quarters and Hopkins go to Princeton or something.

[jdturtle02]

Good question ... all the seeded teams host first-round games, and the winners advance to a northern or a southern quarterfinal doubleheader. This year those are at Princeton and Navy. The committee will try to keep teams in their respective regions, but that's not always possible. This year, with six of the eight seeded teams likely to be from the Southern region, it will be impossible. So then pairings come into play. In my bracket, No. 8 Navy would face Princeton, with the winner advancing to play No. 1 Cornell, so that's an easy pick for the northern quarterfinal. No 7 Albany is the second-highest northern seed, so the winner of the Albany-North Carolina game would go to the northern quarterfinal to face the winner of No. 2 Duke-Delaware, because in an eight-team field No. 2 plays No. 7. With the exception of Notre Dame, all the other teams in the field are from the Southern region. By the way, the selection committee can schedule the quarterfinal match-ups however they want, this just explains why I sent certain teams where I did. This alignment would allow four of the five northern teams to advance to Princeton without creating unreasonable pairings.

[ColtsLax]

Good question ... all the seeded teams host first-round games, and the winners advance to a northern or a southern quarterfinal doubleheader. This year those are at Princeton and Navy. The committee will try to keep teams in their respective regions, but that's not always possible. This year, with six of the eight seeded teams likely to be from the Southern region, it will be impossible. So then pairings come into play. In my bracket, No. 8 Navy would face Princeton, with the winner advancing to play No. 1 Cornell, so that's an easy pick for the northern quarterfinal. No 7 Albany is the second-highest northern seed, so the winner of the Albany-North Carolina game would go to the northern quarterfinal to face the winner of No. 2 Duke-Delaware, because in an eight-team field No. 2 plays No. 7. With the exception of Notre Dame, all the other teams in the field are from the Southern region. By the way, the selection committee can schedule the quarterfinal match-ups however they want, this just explains why I sent certain teams where I did. This alignment would allow four of the five northern teams to advance to Princeton without creating unreasonable pairings.
ok i get that sort of, my question is, why does Duke and UNC have to go to princeton and not navy? Especially UNC because they would maybe play Princeton at Princeton, which is not really fair.

why not have these teams
#5 Georgetown vs. Towson
#4 Johns Hopkins vs. UMBC
go to Princeton

and these guys
#7 North Carolina vs. Princeton
#2 Duke vs. Colgate

Yeah, princton and Colgate are northern teams but they arent "seeded" so who cares, Duke is the #2 team, souldnt they have to travel less then an unseeded team like princeton.

I also think that if a school is hosting and makes the tourney, they shouldnt be allowed to play at home

[jdturtle02]

Well, I think any way you slice it, the committee is going to grapple with the pairings and quarterfinal assignments as much as who gets in the field. Definitely think how ever it shakes out, Cornell and Albany -- if they're the two highest northern seeds -- are going to be slotted for Princeton Stadium, and that means whomever is in their sub-brackets as well. I think your seeds all look defensible; but if those hold, I doubt the committee would pair up their opponents the way you suggest ... if Hopkins and Georgetown were to be sent to the Northern quarterfinal, they'd almost have to be paired against Northern teams and/or Delaware and Notre Dame (which has to travel anyway). And that would still leave two other seeded Southern teams that would have to travel north ... I'd be interested in your complete bracket. I think you're probably pretty close on some of these.

Final note on Final Bracket -- Thanks ColtsLax for making me take one last look before the Selection Show. I switched the positions of Carolina and Princeton in the field, so No. 8 Navy would host unseeded Carolina, and No. 7 Albany would host unseeded Princeton in the first round. Those are regional match-ups that are reasonable considering the strength of both the Tar Heels and Tigers. Carolina would still go to Princeton with a win because of the eight-team format, No. 1 vs. No. 8.

[warriorlax99]

Does anyone think Notre Dame can win it all?

[jdturtle02]

I think Notre Dame is a "wild card" in this field, and definitely has the potential to fight its way to Baltimore. Playing in the GWLL, they don't always get the respect they deserve. This team is going to be good for the next couple of years, too, with top scorers soph attack Ryan Hoff (38/4), frosh attack Will Yeatman (21/23) and junior middie Michael Podgajny (22/13) all coming back well seasoned. Junior goalie Joey Kemp is one of the best out there, 6.47 GAA and .630 save percentage against a pretty good schedule. Notre Dame's stat sheet is solid: 515 ground balls; 59.3% of its goals assisted; .605 shots on goal mark with a .310 shot percentage; average game score of 11.79 to 6.36 ... good stuff! ... The Irish have beaten Loyola 9-7, Drexel 16-5, Denver 14-6 and Ohio State 12-6; its three losses were to No. 1 Cornell 13-8, to No. 10 North Carolina 11-8, and to Dartmouth 7-6 ... all on the road! ... they've been competitive or dominating in every game they've played. They'll be fun to watch. Too soon to guess about winning it all ... you know what kind of season it's been!

[raykessler]

I just looked at the official tournament bracket... how the heck did Cornell get dropped to 4th, below Duke (who they beat), UVA (who Duke beat twice), and JHU (who both Duke and virginia beat). I personally think this is insane, Cornell might not have had the best SOS but they had quality wins over good teams. They dominated most if not all the teams that they should of, with the exception of Syracuse (that was probably the best/ most hard fought game they had all season). Honestly it's ridiculous.

[jdturtle02]

Took a while to digest the NCAA Tournament Field, and considering the way this season has played out, I'm not surprised at all ... okay, truth is I'm totally shocked ... but to his credit, Adam tried to prepare us for the jolt for the last three weeks! My Braveheart nominee forecasted that Cornell would NOT get the No. 1 seed, pretty much the only one I saw who put that in writing well in advance of the selection show. To my credit, all of my final bracket made the cut ... no big deal, but throught I'd mention it.

I think the bracket makes sense -- almost -- when you look at the regional disparity in power this season. That's been a topic of debate every year since the inception of the NCAA Tournament, but this year it's not in dispute. The demise of Syracuse was HUGE. Cornell, Albany and Princeton all played "softer" schedules than Duke, Virginia, Hopkins, Maryland and Carolina. I like Adam's question about the "human" factor in the selection process, and believe we may have the answer. The guidelines say the committee doesn't consider losses -- good or bad -- but as individuals they almost have to when everything else appears even.

Reckon the game predictions will go to "Gameday," and it's too soon to make any picks ... but the most intriguing first-round match-ups for me are Hopkins vs. Notre Dame, and Carolina vs. Navy. The Georgetown vs. Princeton game comes in third. How about Loyola vs. Albany ... that's got me psyched. I also believe the road to the Final Four has been paved in gold for Cornell. Looks like I'll finally get to see them in action, up close ... yeah, I like horror movies, too ...

Good job, NCAA Selection Committee. The seeds may be a bit surprising (just like the season as a whole), but the pairings are terrific.

[BigRedLax75]

Wow, can't believe that anyone thinks the selection committee did a good job here. They have totally disrespected the Big Red, and their absurd bias towards a Hopkins team that lost FOUR, yes FOUR games is just absurd.
Looks to me like they are trying to do whatever they can to help a truly mediocre Hopkins team back to Baltimore for Memorial Day weekend.
Anyone that has seen Cornell play this year knows that they are far better than Hopkins, and probably Virginia as well. If they played Hopkins in the regular season as they did in the 70's they would have kicked their butt.
They have them beat in offense, defense and goaltending is not even close this year. I understand how you can argue that Duke is 1 because of the #1 RPI and SOS and all the wins (including 2 over Virginia). But to seed Virginia and Hopkins above Cornell.. totally bogus. And you have Cornell winning the matchup with the #1 seed... neither Virginia or Hopkins were able to beat Duke this year. Again, totally ridiculous.

The other absurd thing is that if all the top seeds win you end up with a Duke/Virginia match up. In my opinion (sorry Virginia fans), nobody is interested in seeing them play a third time... it's already been decided who is better this year. The Duke/Cornell final as a rematch is really what everyone wanted to see, and now it can't happen.

And one more thing... Cornell is supposedly punished for it's SOS, but it had a bunch of quality wins, including being the only team besides Loyola to beat Duke. Yet Hopkins gets a higher ranking with losses to NC, Duke, Virginia, and Albany. On the other hand Albany has a low SOS as well but get's rated above Georgetown and Maryland because of quality wins? So which is it, quality wins or SOS?

The committee should stop overanalyzing with their formulas.
This is one of the worst seedings I can remember in a while.
I am so hoping that someone takes the Blue Jays out early this year.

[jdturtle02]

The Irish just may grant your wish!

[oldred85]

The Committee had ONE job, and for no other reason than NCAA politics: Protect all past winners! Make sure that one of the only four teams to win it all in the past 20 years (Hop, Cuse, UVA or Princeton) is in the final. Look at the patsies they gave Hop and UVA to play in the first round, and they gave Princeton a match against G-town, whom they have never lost to.

The Committee couldn't allow a Duke/Cornell final, they fear it won't sell tickets. So they seeded those two 1 and 4. They couldn't seed them 2 and 3, and they couldn't push Duke all the way to 4. So Cornell takes the shaft and goes to 4.

Which is great! The Big Red will see red. The real final this year will be on Saturday, when Cornell beats Duke again. Whoever gets to the final from the other bracket will get the "UMASS treatment" in the final.

[ColtsLax]

Wow, can't believe that anyone thinks the selection committee did a good job here. They have totally disrespected the Big Red, and their absurd bias towards a Hopkins team that lost FOUR, yes FOUR games is just absurd.
Looks to me like they are trying to do whatever they can to help a truly mediocre Hopkins team back to Baltimore for Memorial Day weekend.
Anyone that has seen Cornell play this year knows that they are far better than Hopkins, and probably Virginia as well. If they played Hopkins in the regular season as they did in the 70's they would have kicked their butt.
They have them beat in offense, defense and goaltending is not even close this year. I understand how you can argue that Duke is 1 because of the #1 RPI and SOS and all the wins (including 2 over Virginia). But to seed Virginia and Hopkins above Cornell.. totally bogus. And you have Cornell winning the matchup with the #1 seed... neither Virginia or Hopkins were able to beat Duke this year. Again, totally ridiculous.

The other absurd thing is that if all the top seeds win you end up with a Duke/Virginia match up. In my opinion (sorry Virginia fans), nobody is interested in seeing them play a third time... it's already been decided who is better this year. The Duke/Cornell final as a rematch is really what everyone wanted to see, and now it can't happen.

And one more thing... Cornell is supposedly punished for it's SOS, but it had a bunch of quality wins, including being the only team besides Loyola to beat Duke. Yet Hopkins gets a higher ranking with losses to NC, Duke, Virginia, and Albany. On the other hand Albany has a low SOS as well but get's rated above Georgetown and Maryland because of quality wins? So which is it, quality wins or SOS?

The committee should stop overanalyzing with their formulas.
This is one of the worst seedings I can remember in a while.
I am so hoping that someone takes the Blue Jays out early this year.
Look, yeah cornell was really good this year, but kicking Yale, Harvard, Penn, Dartmouth and Brown's collective asses is not that impressive. they have a SOS of 19 that terrible considering the field. jHU and UVa has SOS of 3 and 4. Yeah they lost a few games but a loss to Albany is better then a win over Brown.

Its both SOS, RPI and quality of wins, but more so how many teams did you play that made it to the tourney? that what it ultimately comes down to.

[BigRedLax75]

Look, yeah cornell was really good this year, but kicking Yale, Harvard, Penn, Dartmouth and Brown's collective asses is not that impressive. they have a SOS of 19 that terrible considering the field. jHU and UVa has SOS of 3 and 4. Yeah they lost a few games but a loss to Albany is better then a win over Brown.

Its both SOS, RPI and quality of wins, but more so how many teams did you play that made it to the tourney? that what it ultimately comes down to.

That would be fine if they were consistent with it, but they are not.
They protect the teams that are perennially strong, like Hopkins and Virginia.
They ignore quality wins if they want to, pay attention to them if it helps their favorites. Same with SOS. Sorry, but a loss is a loss, no matter what.
It's never better than a win.
What's a more quality win than the victory over Duke?
Hopkins lost to them, Cornell beat them.
If not for that I might agree with you that it's hard to see where Cornell stands. But I've seen them play, in my opinion they would destroy Hopkins.
I'll admit that Virginia is a quality team, and difficult to say how they would stand against the Big Red. However they lost twice to Duke. They should have been seeded 3. They should have to beat Duke to get to the finals (not that likely.. the second game Duke looked pretty much in control)
Again... it's the committee protecting their favorites.

[ColtsLax]

That would be fine if they were consistent with it, but they are not.
They protect the teams that are perennially strong, like Hopkins and Virginia.
They ignore quality wins if they want to, pay attention to them if it helps their favorites. Same with SOS. Sorry, but a loss is a loss, no matter what.
It's never better than a win.
What's a more quality win than the victory over Duke?
Hopkins lost to them, Cornell beat them.
If not for that I might agree with you that it's hard to see where Cornell stands. But I've seen them play, in my opinion they would destroy Hopkins.
I'll admit that Virginia is a quality team, and difficult to say how they would stand against the Big Red. However they lost twice to Duke. They should have been seeded 3. They should have to beat Duke to get to the finals (not that likely.. the second game Duke looked pretty much in control)
Again... it's the committee protecting their favorites.

Duke has a SOS of 1, UVA has 3 and JHU has 4 thats all there is to, record does not matter in selections unless there is tie between two teams.

Also, Duke lost to Cornell in MARCH, its now may, and they haven't lost since then, they are a totally different team now then they were at the time.

JHU has wins over 6 or 7 tourney teams as well.

And i dont know why the Big red fans are complaining, the 4 seed got Cornell one of the easier roads to the FF

[VTLaxFan]

First off,
Duke
Navy
Loyola
Cornell
Princeton
Hopkins
Maryland
Virginia all advance from there. Then from there,Duke,Cornell,Hopkins,Virginia advance from there with Duke taking on UVa in the finals. Duke>UVa 11-9 Blue Devils take home the crown.

[brunos13]

OK here is the FF Duke, Cornell, Hop (although I'd be happy to see ND here) and Cav's. Duke beats Big Red. Hoo's over Hop/ND. In Duke v Hoo's, Hoo's win a close one 10-9. Duke gets redemtion and Cav's win back to back.

[RichieMoranFC]

You think there might be a little problem if Duke, UVA, Maryland or any of the other non-Ivy schools ran a PERFECT record, was ranked #1 in the country for EIGHT weeks in a row, beat the "#1" seed ON THEIR HOME FIELD, then got passed over and seeded 4th to teams with multiple losses, including one who lost to the #1 seed TWICE? Does anyone think that this board would be aflame with the injustice of the system? We would hear the howling from Maine to California

The selection committee needs to remove all the mirrors in their respective homes - there should be no way that they can look at themselves.

So this is how the NCAA promotes fair play? Work hard, sacrifice and be the only undefeated team in the country. For what? A sharp stick in the eye from the NCAA selection committee, that's what.

What a terrible shame that the NCAA "committee" should let psuedo-statistics get in the way of what is logical and right. Cornell got shafted. It will be a glorious day when they finish their undefeated season.

[RichieMoranFC]

Duke lost to Cornell, at Duke. That's all there is to it.

[Lacrossebum03]

Richie has a point, a very strong point. Theres nothing that Cornell can do now, except prove themselves, Being shafted will give them some solid motivation to show that they are really #1. And this selection committee is near BCS in terrible selections.

[trailck]

Hounds could do a lot of damage-they are a ground ball team, fast and can score-if they get it rolling they could knock off a few teams.
I love their hustle and grit

[jdturtle02]

I've had Cornell burned into that No. 1 slot since this began. Not sure I've ever seen a top-ranked team dropped to a No. 4 seed before. But I've thought for quite a while now it would come down to Cornell vs. Duke for the national championship ... Cornell isn't the only team with a beef, but theirs is definitely the biggest steak on the platter! ... I'm still intrigued by several of the match-ups, and think it's going to be an exciting tournament. And maybe ... just maybe ... this will give Cornell the extra sizzle they'll need to take it all.

[ColtsLax]

Duke lost to Cornell, at Duke. That's all there is to it.
No it isnt. THEY PLAYED IN MARCH, HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS NEED TO BE REPEATED, MARCH MARCH MARCH MARCH MARCH MARCH. CORNELL HAS A TERRIBLE SOS AND THAT IS A HUGE DEAL. THEY DESERVED THE SPOT THEY GOT! STOP COMPLAINING, EDUCATE YOURSELF

[Hobbes]

Colts, where are you getting these SOS numbers? Per Laxpower, Cornell is #6 in SOS, higher than Duke and Virginia, lower than Johns Hopkins. (http://laxpower.com/update07/binmen/sos01.php)

They are also #2 in RPI, behind only Duke. (http://laxpower.com/update07/binmen/rpi01.php)

EDIT: Nonetheless, cornell shouldn't complain, they have the easiest road to the final four.

[ColtsLax]

Colts, where are you getting these SOS numbers? Per Laxpower, Cornell is #6 in SOS, higher than Duke and Virginia, lower than Johns Hopkins. (http://laxpower.com/update07/binmen/sos01.php)

They are also #2 in RPI, behind only Duke. (http://laxpower.com/update07/binmen/rpi01.php)

EDIT: Nonetheless, cornell shouldn't complain, they have the easiest road to the final four.
Lax power is wrong. i get these numbers of the IL website

[Hobbes]

Works for me. I think that Cornell shouldn't have been seeded lower than 2, but getting to Baltimore means more than seeding and they should be able to do it. The real national championship game may happen in that final four matchup between Duke and Cornell though.

[bee_laxer5]

yeah i like duke and cornell. if they weren't 1 and 4 i would def. say they both would be in the final. but although i like cornell alot i just think duke will pull it together and win the whole thing.

[ColtsLax]

Works for me. I think that Cornell shouldn't have been seeded lower than 2, but getting to Baltimore means more than seeding and they should be able to do it. The real national championship game may happen in that final four matchup between Duke and Cornell though.
That is the one problem i have with this bracket though. I think for entertainment purposes, Cornell would be a better 3 seed with JHU as a 4 seed. This way, one Semi game is a rematch of the last time Duke made the FF weekend with duke v JHU. and assuming duke wins you have a great final game between the regualr season 1 and 2

[dfb8246]

Too bad Virginia didn't get to play Duke (and lose) one or two more times this season. Those games would have given Virginia the best SOS and, since head to head doesn't matter, the number one seed in the tourney.

[BigRedLax75]

Wow. I'm trying to absorb all of this.
First Coltslax tells "Richie Moran" to educate himself. Now I don't know if that's the real Richie Moran that posted that, but if it is, maybe Coltslax should educate himself to know who he is. Only one of the winningest coaches in lacrosse history, and in the National lacrosse hall of fame.
from the national lacrosse hall of fame website
Moran was the head coach at Cornell University, winning national championships in 1971, 1976 and 1977. His squads have won 15 Ivy League championships, including 10 consecutive titles. From 1976-1978, Cornell set an NCAA record with 42 consecutive victories. And from 1973-1979, his squads won 39 consecutive Ivy League contests. .

During that era, nobody disrespected Cornell. We used to play JHU in the regular season.

Then we have to hear repetition about this nonsense that somehow a victory in March does not matter. The selection committee claims that they do not rank victories depending on whether they occurred early or late in the season. A win over Duke is big no matter what. Loyola is the only other team that beat them this year. Not Virginia, not Hopkins. Would you say that the Duke victory over Hopkins doesn't matter because it was on April 7th? I mean that's only a week after March. Maybe Hopkins should be #2 because they lost to Duke early and Virginia lost later? (that's sarcasm in case you didn't pick it up).

Seriously. The committee needs to use some common sense. It is totally lacking in this seeding. They robbed everyone of the chance to see the two best teams in lacrosse play for the national championship this year.

[ColtsLax]

Wow. I'm trying to absorb all of this.
First Coltslax tells "Richie Moran" to educate himself. Now I don't know if that's the real Richie Moran that posted that, but if it is, maybe Coltslax should educate himself to know who he is. Only one of the winningest coaches in lacrosse history, and in the National lacrosse hall of fame.
from the national lacrosse hall of fame website
.

During that era, nobody disrespected Cornell. We used to play JHU in the regular season.

Then we have to hear repetition about this nonsense that somehow a victory in March does not matter. The selection committee claims that they do not rank victories depending on whether they occurred early or late in the season. A win over Duke is big no matter what. Loyola is the only other team that beat them this year. Not Virginia, not Hopkins. Would you say that the Duke victory over Hopkins doesn't matter because it was on April 7th? I mean that's only a week after March. Maybe Hopkins should be #2 because they lost to Duke early and Virginia lost later? (that's sarcasm in case you didn't pick it up).

Seriously. The committee needs to use some common sense. It is totally lacking in this seeding. They robbed everyone of the chance to see the two best teams in lacrosse play for the national championship this year.
I know who richie moran is, and i highly doubt that that is really him.


I'm just saying that Duke early in the year and Duke in May are two different teams. they haven't lost a game since March. The selection is not totally random and uses a very precise formula to seed team. its not like they sit down and say "ok which of the powerhouses qualified, put them at the top" and then intentionally spite everyone else. Cornell's weak SOS didn't not justify a higher seed. Yeah they went undefeated, but it was in the Ivy League, you cant honestly say that the Ivy league is as tough as the ACC.

[RichieMoranFC]

"I know who richie moran is, and i highly doubt that that is really him.


I'm just saying that Duke early in the year and Duke in May are two different teams. they haven't lost a game since March. The selection is not totally random and uses a very precise formula to seed team. its not like they sit down and say "ok which of the powerhouses qualified, put them at the top" and then intentionally spite everyone else. Cornell's weak SOS didn't not justify a higher seed. Yeah they went undefeated, but it was in the Ivy League, you cant honestly say that the Ivy league is as tough as the ACC."

Do you really think the Greatest Coach in the History of Lacrosse would sully himself on this board? That's where the FC comes in...

Just imagine that Duke went undefeated (which they could NOT, but let's imagine) and Cornell had not one, not two, not three but FOUR losses, and Cornell were placed ahead of Duke, there would be an issue?

Losses (two, in fact) in March don't count? What's next, losses on days that end in "y" don't count either? Losses at night only count halvesies? Losses to "good" teams count more than wins over the "#1" team?

Come on ACC apologists, the selection committee gave you a huge amount of completely undeserved grease in this tournament. It's like a bunch of sorority sisters sitting around telling each other how pretty they are and how they must be the prettiest because they all hang out together.

This convoluted, apologistic logic is why ACC guys end up working for Ivy League guys. Which is the real issue here...

[BigRedLax75]

Agree with you FC, maybe you're not the real "Coach" but you've got some good insight into this screwed up bracket!

The committee needs to discard their rigid formulas and look for a new approach. They need to think about interesting match ups and maybe even consider expanding the field. They need to face the facts that there is more parity than ever before, and a lot of teams that can win big games outside of the old standards. Look at how interesting the basketball tournament has gotten with the inclusion of all the mid majors.

Here's another example. If Duke beats Providence and NC beats Navy, then we get to see Duke play NC again in Annapolis... woo hoo... what an exciting game that will be (sarcasm). How do you get really excited for that game when we've already seen Duke beat NC (easily) twice in the regular season. And then we can follow that up with Virginia against Maryland. We've also seen Maryland lose twice already. Why not just rename the quarterfinals ACC II. That's all it really is. Is that what lacrosse fans really want to see? The same ACC games we've seen in the regular season? It just confirms what FC said about the little ACC club.

If the committee wants lacrosse to continue gaining popularity they are going to need to change their ways.

[Hobbes]

For the record, I still believe Cornell should be #1, but its not as big a travesty as its being made out to be. Perhaps if my Dartmouth had won those one point games to Virginia and Albany, things could've been different.

[jdturtle02]

This is too funny ... and you're right FC, a man with class (Coach Moran) probably wouldn't engage in this ridiculous sniveling ... good point!

But I'd like to think if he did visit this board he'd advise all of us to let Cornell speak for itself on the field. Those are the only statements that matter now. Whether in the championship game or two days earlier, it appears the Big Red are on a collision course with Duke. The selection committee may not have symbolically crowned Cornell with a No. 1 seed, but its decisions certainly don't appear to be hostile. Most folks I've talked to say Hopkins, Albany and Virginia have the roughest rows to hoe among the higher seeds.

If attitude = power, this thread could light a small Midwestern town ... fortunately, that's not where the Cornell-Duke clash will take place. Sure hope the "unsinkable" Big Red makes it to Baltimore.