Men's LAX NCAA Championship: Duke 6, Notre Dame 5 (OT)

[licc85]

A football school meets a basketball school for the national lacrosse championship. Should be a great match up. Max Quinzani is a beast. GO DUKE!!

[roywhite]

One interesting note is the presence of Jake Tripucka on the Duke roster.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...&Q_SEASON=2009

His father Kelly played basketball at Notre Dame and was on the 1978 Irish team that played Duke in the Final Four. You know, the Final Four appearance (only one for Notre Dame) that Digger talks so much about.

[4decadedukie]

You know, the Final Four appearance (only one for Notre Dame) that Digger talks so much about.

I will never forgive -- or forget -- Phelps' arrogance and flagrant disrespect for Duke (and for the ACC in general) during Notre Dame's ONLY Man's Basketball Final Four. Listening to his self-proclaimed "insights" each season on ESPN, and understanding how frequently he is badly wrong and how much obvious derision he receives from his pundit peers, only intensifies my conviction that Digger is a blowhard, with very limited perceptiveness or intellect.

[30scheyer]

It is tough to score on that beast of a ND goalie. Cornell made some nice adjustments at halftime on Sat. and were more successful with fakes.

Perhaps Zoubs or Mason can make it to Baltimore today to give the team opportunities shooting at a goal filled by a goalie...

[Oriole Way]

If anyone would like to meet up before the game, let me know.

[DukieBoy]

Anyone find it weird that Duke is playing a private Indiana school for a national title?

Coincidence?

Let's hope this one ends like the last one

[weezie]

Anyone find it weird that Duke is playing a private Indiana school for a national title?

Coincidence?

Let's hope this one ends like the last one

With one caveat: pound the leprechaun and pound him good. No last seconds of anxiety!
No mercy. Beat those golden helmets into tiny shards of plastic and then make the shards into cheap trinkets that fall out of pinatas.
I mean beat them bad!!!!!

[Newton_14]

Calling all of the Lacrosse experts! Can you guys enlighten those of us that are not as knowledged about the sport? What are our chances in the title game tomorrow? Is this finally our year?

I have watched most of the games the last couple of times they made the Final Four but confess to not knowing the game very well. Any insight on tomorrow's game would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Go Duke

[DevilWearsPrada]

Will be at the Championship game!!! Lets go Duke!!!

[-bdbd]

Calling all of the Lacrosse experts! Can you guys enlighten those of us that are not as knowledged about the sport? What are our chances in the title game tomorrow? Is this finally our year?

I have watched most of the games the last couple of times they made the Final Four but confess to not knowing the game very well. Any insight on tomorrow's game would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Go Duke

Not an expert, but on TV (ESPN) immediately after the UVA game the ESPN desk analyst seemed to be saying that Duke should be favored to win on Monday. However, ND does have the hot goalie and that can make all the difference. Duke has been so hot for the season's second half and tournament. It is a story of a top-tier and hot offense (Duke's) versus a very solid D with the nation's hottest Goalie (ND's).

Anything can happen, but don't bet against the Devils in this one.







P.S. Duke's seed in the tournament is #5 after playing in the incredibly strong ACC this year ( ACC had FOUR (!??) of the top five NCAA seeds), while ND was unseeded - i.e. not in the top eight in a 16 team field, and probably woulda fallen in the 10-14 seed range. Of course seeds are irrelevant now...

[roywhite]

Here's an interview with Coach Danowski prior to the Final Four.

http://ondemand.duke.edu/video/22396...anowski-previe

I think his tournament experience gives Duke an advantage. I thought Coach D was a little tentative going against Hopkins in the 2007 final, and Duke lost by one goal. I expect to see the team play aggressively this time around.

[MCFinARL]

Calling all of the Lacrosse experts! Can you guys enlighten those of us that are not as knowledged about the sport? What are our chances in the title game tomorrow? Is this finally our year?

I have watched most of the games the last couple of times they made the Final Four but confess to not knowing the game very well. Any insight on tomorrow's game would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Go Duke

There is a fair amount of analysis (decent in the official posts and ranging from very astute to very silly in the comments) on the Inside Lacrosse website, www.insidelacrosse.com, if you want to get a better feel for some of the issues. In the broadest possible terms, Duke likes to pay an uptempo game with a lot of running and looks for opportunities to score in transition when they can. We are also very solid on defense except at goalie, where we have a freshman who probably didn't expect to be the starter this season (the likely starter was dismissed from the team at the beginning of the season for unacceptable conduct of some kind) and seems to get a bit overwhelmed at times. Notre Dame likes a slower paced, half-field game. They are careful on offense--working to extend possessions and take quality shots--and extremely strong on defense. They focus especially on trying to shut down transition scoring, both by collapsing on defense and by working hard to avoid the kinds of mistakes than can start fast break situations in the first place, and their goalie is both huge (at 6'4", 254 lbs., he covers a lot more of the goal than most goalies) and playing extremely well right now. It's an intriguing match up and it's not at all obvious who will win, or even who "should" win, though if we can win face offs, avoid sloppy mistakes on clearing (like the ones we made Saturday) and find ways to score on their goalie, I think our chances are pretty good. Those are big ifs, though.

[hurleyfor3]

A football school meets a basketball school for the national lacrosse championship.

Wait, one of these schools is good in football?

[blazindw]

Just got back from the USA-Turkey soccer match in Philly, and I will be in M&T tomorrow to cheer on our boys!

[Gewebe14]

Wait, one of these schools is good in football?

Have you never heard of David Cutcliffe?

[blueprofessor]

There is a fair amount of analysis (decent in the official posts and ranging from very astute to very silly in the comments) on the Inside Lacrosse website, www.insidelacrosse.com, if you want to get a better feel for some of the issues. In the broadest possible terms, Duke likes to pay an uptempo game with a lot of running and looks for opportunities to score in transition when they can. We are also very solid on defense except at goalie, where we have a freshman who probably didn't expect to be the starter this season (the likely starter was dismissed from the team at the beginning of the season for unacceptable conduct of some kind) and seems to get a bit overwhelmed at times. Notre Dame likes a slower paced, half-field game. They are careful on offense--working to extend possessions and take quality shots--and extremely strong on defense. They focus especially on trying to shut down transition scoring, both by collapsing on defense and by working hard to avoid the kinds of mistakes than can start fast break situations in the first place, and their goalie is both huge (at 6'4", 254 lbs., he covers a lot more of the goal than most goalies) and playing extremely well right now. It's an intriguing match up and it's not at all obvious who will win, or even who "should" win, though if we can win face offs, avoid sloppy mistakes on clearing (like the ones we made Saturday) and find ways to score on their goalie, I think our chances are pretty good. Those are big ifs, though.

Good summary,MCFinARL .
Another way of explaining ND's style is that they play a lot like Hopkins did in those semi or championship games when the Jays beat us by 1 goal .
That is a very frustrating style for a team like Duke that thrives in games with high numbers of possessions.

I do believe this Duke edition is very strong mentally and has more patience---team qualities that win this sort of game.
Can our defense prevent the close shots that our goalie appears to have little chance of stopping?
We have a tremendously talented, versatile, and athletic defense (goaltending excepted) --they may just win this game for Duke.

I expect an exciting game because ND goalie Scott Rodgers is fearless and quick meeting close-in shots--- he won the Cornell game by stopping the talented Pannell and Hurley several times on point-blank shots. Cornell could easily have had a 5-0 1st quarter lead. He is formidable in saving high, corner shots. Maybe we'll see Duke attacking thebottom corners ---perhaps a more difficult stop for a huge goalie.

Go, Duke! Best regards--Blueprofessor

[MisterRoddy]

It's game time Dukies! Tune into ESPN

[Big Pappa]

Not a bad half (3-2 Duke), especially good on defense. Our offense looks out-of-sync and a little sluggish from the game Saturday. Notre Dame is controlling the tempo which worries me, but I think a little rest at half will help our offense.

[Bluedevil114]

Need to win faceoffs and take better shots. Too much in a rush first half. Notre Dame is playing stall ball so you have to win faceoffs to speed up the game to our tempo.

Go Duke!!

[4decadedukie]

Pros:
- Duke leads 3 to 2
- Our (not between the pipes) defense has been aggressive and largely effective
- Our offense has been "satisfactory"

Cons:
- Their goaltender has been superb, while ours continues to struggle
- Notre Dame has driven the tempo to "their game" denying Duke its best-in-Division I uptempo attack
- Too many Duke turnovers
- Too few Duke face-off victories at the X

In the second half, we must:
- Take more shots, but not "desperation" low percentage attempts
- Continue to be proactive in defense, forcing turnovers and precluding shots
- Dominate face-offs
- Move the game to our proven, successful uptempo offensive style