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  1. #21

    Bottom Half of the Bracket

    Cuse at (3) Duke
    Colgate at (6) UMass
    Murlund at (7) Lehigh
    Stony Brook at (2) Hop

    Duke plays at noon Saturday at Koskinen.

  2. #22

    On the Women's Side

    Duke is the seven seed, and plays Virginia at home at 2:00 p.m. Sunday.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by burnspbesq View Post
    Cuse at (3) Duke
    Colgate at (6) UMass
    Murlund at (7) Lehigh
    Stony Brook at (2) Hop

    Duke plays at noon Saturday at Koskinen.
    Can't say the seeding committee did Duke any favors. Syracuse is playing much better now than earlier in the season when they lost to Duke. With a victory there, Duke faces the winner of UMass-Colgate--the only undefeated D1 team, seeded only sixth because of relative weakness of schedule, and a team that just took down Maryland. Win again and the most likely opponent in the semis is Hopkins--an experienced team that played well most of the year, but for a shaky stretch late, from which it recovered to beat top seed Loyola. And if it's not Hop, it's either a rubber match with Maryland or -- Lehigh.

    Looking at the whole bracket, I'm hard pressed to see a tougher path among the top four seeds.

  4. #24
    Colgate and UMass both rely on a dynamic attackman (Baum for Gate and Manny for UMass) to make the whole thing work.

    Over at collegecrosse.com, I posed the following question in the comments: "Can UMass win if Manny gets two and one (which is what Stanwick got when Duke put Henry Lobb on him and didn't slide)?"

    Syracuse's improvement is primarily due to Bobby Eilers finally figuring out that at 6'5", 210, he can physically dominate most d-mids. Luke Duprey is not most d-mids.

  5. #25
    The selection committee treated Carolina far better than they deserved. They weren't punished for the loss to Penn (the way, for example, Nova was punished for the loss to Providence and Cornell was punished for the loss to Brown), and what should have been a substantial RPI and SOS hit from playing Michigan was ignored.

    Mark Mathews has to be salivating at the thought of going at the Carolina defense. This could be first team to 21 wins (so could Gate - UMass), but if Carraro wins 50 percent of the faceoffs against Keenan Carolina could be in a lot of trouble. And if the pathologically turnover-prone Carolina team of March shows up, they are cooked.

  6. #26
    Here are the brackets for both the Men's and Women's tournaments:

    Men's:
    http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-brac...se-men/d1/2011
    http://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/fi...en_d1_2011.pdf

    Women's:
    http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-brac...rosse-women/d1
    http://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/fi...en_d1_2011.pdf

    Our Women's team is seeded 7th and hosting Virginia on Sunday at 2:00pm Eastern.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by burnspbesq View Post
    The selection committee treated Carolina far better than they deserved. They weren't punished for the loss to Penn (the way, for example, Nova was punished for the loss to Providence and Cornell was punished for the loss to Brown), and what should have been a substantial RPI and SOS hit from playing Michigan was ignored.

    Mark Mathews has to be salivating at the thought of going at the Carolina defense. This could be first team to 21 wins (so could Gate - UMass), but if Carraro wins 50 percent of the faceoffs against Keenan Carolina could be in a lot of trouble. And if the pathologically turnover-prone Carolina team of March shows up, they are cooked.
    Matthews was unstoppable against Duke (which admittedly was not at its best against Denver); agreed he could be a real problem for Carolina.

    In other news, Duke fans might appreciate knowing that Lehigh (there is that name again) is coached by Duke grad and former Duke assistant coach Kevin Cassese. Cassese, who also plays professional lacrosse and has been a member of the US National Team. He was an assistant to Mike Pressler and stayed through John Danowski's first season in the spring of 2007 before accepting the Lehigh job. The team building job he has been doing there is starting to bear fruit in a big way as Lehigh enters the tournament seeded 7th and with a 14-2 record and wins over tournament teams Colgate, UNC, and Yale.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Durham, NC
    I think there is a legitimate chance that the ACC will close out the final four. Last 2 years ACC teams have ONLY lost to other ACC teams in the tournament, which is absolutely incredible.

  9. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by loldevilz View Post
    I think there is a legitimate chance that the ACC will close out the final four. Last 2 years ACC teams have ONLY lost to other ACC teams in the tournament, which is absolutely incredible.
    Maybe, but given how crazy the last month has been, don't rule out the possibility that the ACC goes four and out in the first round. I actually expect three ACC teams to lose in the first round. Lehigh is just flat better than Maryland. I don't think Carolina's defense is good enough to contain Denver. If LaPierre isn't 100 percent, Virginia will struggle to contain Schreiber, and he's good enough to put Princeton on his back and carry them through this game.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by burnspbesq View Post
    Maybe, but given how crazy the last month has been, don't rule out the possibility that the ACC goes four and out in the first round. I actually expect three ACC teams to lose in the first round. Lehigh is just flat better than Maryland. I don't think Carolina's defense is good enough to contain Denver. If LaPierre isn't 100 percent, Virginia will struggle to contain Schreiber, and he's good enough to put Princeton on his back and carry them through this game.
    Yeah, this is an unbelievably wide open tournament bracket. Possibly the only teams in it that I would give no chance to win their first round games are Canisius and Stony Brook (and even Stony Brook could have an outside chance, given Hopkins' somewhat up-and-down play, though I doubt it). Notre Dame will be a big challenge for Yale, but if Yale can play the way they did in the Ivy League tournament, all bets are off.

    One other thing that might have to happen for Princeton to beat UVA--"good" Tyler Fiorito has to show up in the Princeton goal, and/or he has to get a lot more help from the rest of his defense than he did against Yale. Even if Stanwick still isn't 100%, the Wahoos offense will score if you give them the kind of opportunities Yale had.

  11. #31

    Retired Numbers?

    Browsing the past few seasons' rosters, I noticed that nobody has worn number 40 since Matt Danowski left, and nobody has worn number 22 since Ned Crotty left.

    If we're going to retire numbers, let's do it officially: hang some banners and have a ceremony.

  12. #32
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    Apr 2010
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    Arlington, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by burnspbesq View Post
    Browsing the past few seasons' rosters, I noticed that nobody has worn number 40 since Matt Danowski left, and nobody has worn number 22 since Ned Crotty left.

    If we're going to retire numbers, let's do it officially: hang some banners and have a ceremony.
    Interesting. In Crotty's case, it might still be an accident, as he is only two years gone. But that it's both Crotty and Danowski, now 4 years gone, suggests it is intentional. Is it possible the numbers have been officially retired, but without a lot of fanfare? Not sure where you would hang banners (at Koskinen?).

    Another approach to numbers--Josh Dionne switched numbers this year from 0 (perhaps not the best choice for a goal scorer, he acknowledged in an interview) to 8--Max Quinzani's number. It seems like a good fit.

  13. #33
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    Jan 2010
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    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by burnspbesq View Post
    Maybe, but given how crazy the last month has been, don't rule out the possibility that the ACC goes four and out in the first round. I actually expect three ACC teams to lose in the first round. Lehigh is just flat better than Maryland. I don't think Carolina's defense is good enough to contain Denver. If LaPierre isn't 100 percent, Virginia will struggle to contain Schreiber, and he's good enough to put Princeton on his back and carry them through this game.
    I'm surprised to hear a lax fan have 3 ACC teams losing in the first round. The ACC has been dominant in the tournament the past few years and I would say that this year the ACC looks especially impressive. In my opinion, Denver vs Carolina is the only game where I want to pick against the ACC, but I truly think that Carolina makes a final four this year. They are absolutely stacked talent-wise. In my opinion they are the second best ACC team.

    As for Maryland, I don't know how you can say Lehigh is flat our better. Maryland has better wins on its schedule. They have beaten Johns Hopkins, Duke and UNC. We barely got past them in the ACC tournament. It took a heck of a game from Wigrizer to win by 1 goal. That loss last week definitely is a red-flag, but Colgates a good team and Maryland probably didn't play their best. I think that Maryland coach is excellent and I expect them to win.

    Lastly, I really don't think that Princeton has a shot at beating Virginia. They couldn't even win the terrible Ivy League this year. They are certainly one of the weaker teams in the field. I'd be absolutly shocked if they win. I'd actually be more suprised if Virginia lost that game then if we lost to Syracuse who we've struggled against in the past.
    Last edited by loldevilz; 05-08-2012 at 01:24 PM.

  14. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO

    Kinda Irrelevant?

    Quote Originally Posted by MCFinARL View Post
    Interesting. In Crotty's case, it might still be an accident, as he is only two years gone. But that it's both Crotty and Danowski, now 4 years gone, suggests it is intentional. Is it possible the numbers have been officially retired, but without a lot of fanfare? Not sure where you would hang banners (at Koskinen?).

    Another approach to numbers--Josh Dionne switched numbers this year from 0 (perhaps not the best choice for a goal scorer, he acknowledged in an interview) to 8--Max Quinzani's number. It seems like a good fit.
    Numbers "not in use" are not necessarily or even likely to be "retired." Numbers "in use" can be retired at any time. Viz. #44 for Mullins while the Chief was still wearing it.

    sagegrouse
    'Class of Mullins. No, really! He was our senior class president. The illustrious successor to Charlie Rose and the late Sean Flynn (son of Errol)'

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    Numbers "not in use" are not necessarily or even likely to be "retired." Numbers "in use" can be retired at any time. Viz. #44 for Mullins while the Chief was still wearing it.

    sagegrouse
    'Class of Mullins. No, really! He was our senior class president. The illustrious successor to Charlie Rose and the late Sean Flynn (son of Errol)'
    Well, I'm properly chided, Sage, and I'm sure there are many people who might agree with you as to my irrelevance. Of course I was just guessing about whether it is intentional that no one has used Matt Danowski's number. But lacrosse uses a lot of numbers. Since the 2006-07 season, 40 is the only number between 0 and 44 (above 44, number use gets a little spottier) that has gone four straight seasons without being used.
    I'm thinking there is at least a chance that this isn't an accident, though it could be an informal sign of respect from the players rather than a team policy.

    On the other hand, it could, of course, be an accident, and has nothing to do, as you point out, with whether the number might be retired. The only other number between 0 and 44 that has gone even three straight seasons out of use, 15, was last used by Goalie Rob Schroeder, not a likely candidate for number retirement.

  16. #36

  17. #37
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, D.C.
    A guess--this will be an up and down the field tournament, with scoring in the possession game coming relatively quick. Teams are filed with talented attackers and offensive mids. There is no old school ball adopted to the new realities of the game, aka Cornell, tat weakens teams in the half court, and then is organized to stop transition offense.

    I think that this Championship belongs to he team with athletic long sticks who can guard with the best, but excel in creating unexpected mistakes by offenses (creating groundballs), snatching ground balls, and getting off in transition with speed and awareness. Syracuse had a kid like that when they took down my boys who were 3 up with 3 to go. I think that Duke as a couple of outstanding defenders in this mode. They could make the difference.

    If Duke is still standing going into the final weekend,I'd be there if I were a Duke fan. Heck, with Cornell taking a pass this year (too bad about Pannell and thanks for the guy who gave the kid his props here), I might just become a Dukie and show up myself.

    Stanwick, however, is to die for. If there is a better play maker, passer, creator of angles, signal giver to a teamate about where the ball is going, and then stone-cold scorer when he needs to be in any sport, I haven't seen him, well okay, Messi. Tough to root againt him and Startza beginnings at a neighboring town on the South Shore of LI, well, I wouldn't be made if they pulled a rabbit out of a hat, but then again I wouldn't be loving it either.

    Duke if it makes the final four; Maryland if it does and Duke doesn't. I think that this team finds a way, even though Carolina is probably at least 3 out of 5 the better team, probably more like 4 out of 6. It only takes one, however, and, should it come to it, muy itch says the Terps.

    I really like this tournament but do not like the added todo around it, selection and Sunday and such. Give them sticks, a helmet, the same colored uniforms for each team, and let em play one of the best passing games around.

  18. #38

    Hoya Suxa's Stats-Based Take on Duke-Cuse

    http://www.collegecrosse.com/2012/5/...racuse-at-duke

    I'm generally in agreement, but I think the key matchups are Palasek vs. Manley and Eilers vs. Duprey. If we contain those guys, we win, and we may win by a lot. I think we are good for at least the 12 we got against Cuse in the regular season (it would be really nice if we got a contribution from the second midfield).

  19. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by burnspbesq View Post
    http://www.collegecrosse.com/2012/5/...racuse-at-duke

    I'm generally in agreement, but I think the key matchups are Palasek vs. Manley and Eilers vs. Duprey. If we contain those guys, we win, and we may win by a lot. I think we are good for at least the 12 we got against Cuse in the regular season (it would be really nice if we got a contribution from the second midfield).
    I hope you are right. This matchup makes me very nervous. Syracuse is starting to get their act together, and Duke, as far as I know, is still in Forrest Gump box-of-chocolates mode. If the Duke team that played UVA shows up, no one will beat them; if the Duke team that played Denver shows up, it could be ugly. I'd feel more confident if the man-up and man-down units had been more effective this season.

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Arlington, VA

    Duke Lax Video

    There are a couple of interesting "behind the scenes" videos of the Duke team in Denver, preparing for the Mile High Classic, posted in Insidelacrosse.com.
    http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2012/...e-high-classic

    Interestingly, when Coach Danowski was talking about practicing shooting with the non-dominant hand, he described some players as "amphibious"! Think he has been reading DBR? [PS, I'm pretty sure he used the wrong word on purpose.]

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