Every year we fill out NCAA brackets based on the teams in the games. That’s boring, right? It’s much more fun to do it based on the OTHER sports at the school. So, why not lacrosse? Here we go.
Midwest- 64 Bracket
Kentucky vs Hampton/Manhattan
Manhattan has to take this one since they are a Division One team, albeit the worst Division One team. Also, Kentucky is 0-3 in the MCLA which technically isn’t last place because they are ranked ahead of 2-2 George Washington. And Hampton doesn’t have a team, so Manhattan wins.
Purdue vs Cincinnati
Purdue is 0-4 in the MCLA, so they’re pretty bad. However, the Cincinnati Bearcats are just 1-0 in the NCLL, which is a weaker division than the MCLA. Purdue Boilermakers win.
Buffalo vs West Virginia
At 3-1, the Buffalo Bulls are the top team in their division. West Virginia is 0-2 after two of their games were cancelled. Out of the two MCLA teams, Buffalo takes this game.
Maryland vs Valparisio
Couldn’t tell if Valparisio has a team or not anywhere, but Maryland is one of the top teams in the country so they win this game by a lot anyways.
Texas vs Butler
Texas is 2-7 in a very tough MCLA division where they would be in dead last. It appears like Butler hasn’t played since 2013 so the Longhorns still win.
Northeastern vs Notre Dame
At 2-0, Northeastern is second in their MCLA division and are a pretty good team. However, Notre Dame is one of the best teams in the NCAA Division One so they have to take this game.
Indiana vs Wichita State
With a 2-1 record the Indiana Hoosiers are in second place in their MCLA division. Wichita State is in something called the Great Plains Lacrosse League and their website is down. Indiana wins.
Kansas vs New Mexico State
Kansas is 1-2 in the MCLA in a division that is pretty much Big Ten schools (Iowa, Nebraska, etc). Looks like New Mexico State doesn’t have a team, but New Mexico does and is 0-3. Kansas wins in both cases.
32 Bracket
Manhattan vs Purdue
Manhattan is a beneficiary of there not being many other NCAA Division one teams, so they continue to win, defeating Purdue who is a bad club team.
Buffalo vs Maryland
While Buffalo is pretty solid for the league they play in, Maryland is just a better team for obvious reasons. They are a top ten ranked team in Division One playing in the toughest lacrosse conference in the country.
Texas vs Notre Dame
Texas is bad and Notre Dame is good, leagues aside. But to discuss them like we did with Maryland, the Fighting Irish just don’t even belong against these teams.
Indiana vs Kansas
Indiana is 2-1 and Kansas is 1-2, so to make things easy, Indiana wins.
16 Bracket
Manhattan vs Maryland
This is nearly as bad as Buffalo against Maryland. Manhattan had a nice run.
Notre Dame vs Indiana
Whenever I see lacrosse games that could be football games that are relevant it’s exciting, and you can start thinking of state rivalries right away. Notre Dame dominates.
8 Bracket
Notre Dame vs Maryland
Notre Dame is ranked at three and Maryland ranked at five. The Fighting Irish have four wins and the Terps five, so going to go with Maryland to advance.
West- 64 Bracket
Coastal Carolina vs Wisconsin
Coastal Carolina (historically a good baseball team) is in the MCLA Division Two where they are 2-4 but in third place in their conference. Wisconsin plays in the Great Lakes Lacrosse League (some sort of club level) and their website says it’s $550 to play. Coastal Carolina takes this one.
Oregon vs Oklahoma State
At 1-4, the Oregon Ducks have struggled in a good MCLA conference. Oklahoma State is 5-1 in the MCLA’s Division Two. While they are a division behind, the Cowboys still win because they are a more solid team.
Wofford vs Arkansas
Arkansas is 2-4 and according to the MCLA’s website have their own conference they are first and last in. Wofford has a club team but their record is no where to be found, so Razorbacks take this one.
North Carolina vs Harvard
A rare matchup of two division one teams. Both are good teams and ranked, but this game actually happened the other day and the Tar Heels won, so they will move on.
Ole Miss vs Xavier
Ole Miss is 1-7 in the MCLA, so that’s really bad. Xavier is 1-0 in the NCLL, but Ole Miss is so bad that Xavier will win this game despite being a lower league.
Georgia State vs Baylor
Being in last place in a Division Two MCLA conference is bad, and that’s where Georgia State is. Baylor is 1-3 in the Division One portion of the MCLA, so it seems fair to say they would beat Georgia State.
Ohio State vs VCU
Ohio State is a Division One team, and a pretty good one at that. Virginia Commonwealth does have a team, but it’s in the NCLL and they are 0-1 in it. This looks like an easy one for the Buckeyes.
Texas Southern vs Arizona
Historically, the Arizona Wildcats have been an elite MCLA team, and that remains true as they are 7-2. Texas Southern apparently does have a team but it’s impossible to find their record. Even if they are 10-0, Arizona wins.
32 Bracket
Coastal Carolina vs Oklahoma State
These teams are in the same division which makes things interesting. They don’t play this season and the Cowboys are a top team in the league so they would have to win here.
Arkansas vs North Carolina
D1 against a mediocre club team gives the Tar Heels a win every single time.
Xavier vs Baylor
Xavier basically had nothing going on. It’s not like Baylor did either but they’re in a better league and have a single win, so they advance.
Ohio State vs Arizona
If any MCLA team could compete with an NCAA team, it would be Arizona. However, Ohio State is just too good of a D1 team for that.
16 Bracket
Oklahoma State vs North Carolina
Baylor vs Ohio State
We know how both of these games end with the Division One teams advancing.
8 Bracket
North Carolina vs Ohio State
Ranked number two in the country, North Carolina is 9-0. Ohio State is good too at 7-2 but it has to be the Tar Heels that advance.
East- 64 Bracket
Villanova vs Lafayette
Other than just one other game in the last bracket, here is one of the only pure NCAA D1 games. Villanova is 5-2, a ranked team, and have been a surprisingly good team all season. Lafayette is 1-6 and not very good, so the Wildcats take this one.
LSU vs NC State
LSU is 7-3 and they lead their conference in the MCLA. NC State is 3-1 and are in second place in their MCLA conference. Both teams are pretty solid but the Tigers win this.
Northern Iowa vs Wyoming
The Cowboys are 0-2 in possibly the worst MCLA Division Two conference. Northern Iowa is nowhere close to having a lacrosse team so Wyoming has to win here.
UC Irvine vs Louisville
UC Irvine is 1-8, which is one of the worst records in the MCLA Division Two. Louisville has yet to play a game in the NCLL this year, so that means UC Irvine somehow wins.
Dayton vs Providence
Dayton is 5-0 in the MCLA’s Division Two. Providence is 4-3 in the NCAA’s Division One. Friars win despite the Flyers being a decent club.
Albany vs Oklahoma
Oklahoma is 5-2 and tied for first place in their MCLA Division One conference. Albany is 4-1 and have been having a solid season themselves in the NCAA. They win this game.
Michigan State vs Georgia
Michigan State is 1-4 and having a rough year in the MCLA Division One. Gerogia is 4-0 and a very good club in the same league so they win.
Belmont vs Virginia
I spent over a half hour trying to look up if Belmont had lacrosse and then realized Virginia would win anyways so it doesn’t matter.
32 Bracket
Villanova vs LSU
LSU really is a solid club team but they just couldn’t compete with a ranked D1 team. Villanova advances.
Wyoming vs UC Irvine
Why is this called the east bracket? Wyoming and California are no where near the east. Is this like that time Boise State was almost in the Big East? Wyoming wins.
Providence vs Albany
Here’s a D1 game. Providence is good, and they have played two more games than Albany. The teams don’t play each other this year, but let’s add the Lyle Thompson factor and give the win to the Danes.
Georgia vs Virginia
Georgia really is a good team, kind of like LSU, but once again, this is Virginia.
16 Bracket
Villanova vs Wyoming
‘Nova
Albany vs Virginia
Obviously, Albany could compete in this game. But as a 5-2 ACC team, the Virginia Cavaliers have to advance.
8 Bracket
Villanova vs Virginia
Virginia is 5-2 and ranked ninth in the country. Villanova is also 5-2 but ranked 16th. This is a really even matchup on paper so we have to look at their opponents this year. The Cavs have wins over Loyola, Drexel, Rutgers, St Josephs, and Cornell. Villanova has defeated Drexel, Penn State, Delaware, Penn, and Lehigh. Have to go with Villanova here it seems like.
South- 64 Bracket
Robert Morris vs Duke
This bracket has annoyed me right away because only one D1 team can move on really. Still, Duke beats the other D1 Robert Morris here.
St John’s vs San Diego State
St. John’s is an average D1 team and San Diego State is a 7-1 MCLA team. If we were going to have an upset it could probably be here but the Red Storm will take it still.
Utah vs Stephen F Austin
Utah is a 1-5 MCLA mediocre team. Stephen F Austin is a Division Two MCLA team that is 5-1. We are going to have a lower seed win!
East Washington vs Georgetown
As far as I can tell, Eastern Washington doesn’t have a team and Georgetown wins anyways.
UCLA vs SMU
UCLA is 6-2 in the MCLA Division One and is historically a pretty decent team. SMU hasn’t updated their website since 2012. Do the math.
Iowa State vs UAB
Iowa State is a mediocre 1-2 in the MCLA. UAB’s Facebook page says they played a game but didn’t have a score so I’m confused and Cyclones win.
Iowa vs Davidson
Iowa is 4-1 and in second place in their MCLA division. Davidson is 0-5 in the MCLA’s Division Two. Hawkeyes advance.
North Dakota State vs Gonzaga
North Dakota State is 4-1 in MCLA Division Two and I’m partial towards them because ILWT writer Alex Urquhart played there. Gonzaga is 2-3 anyways so the Bison move on.
32 Bracket
Duke vs St. John’s
Duke, the defending champions, win despite facing a legitimate Division One team.
Stephen F Austin vs Georgetown
Stephen F Austin is one of the better teams in the MCLA’s Division Two. They could probably compete for a title over there. However, in this fake bracket, D1 Hoyas win every time.
UCLA vs Iowa State
Iowa advanced by default and UCLA is a much better team.
Iowa vs North Dakota State
These teams have the same exact record so have to go with the MCLA D1 Iowa Hawkeyes in this case.
16 Bracket
Duke vs Georgetown
Georgetown is 5-3 and has been a surprise this season. However, once again, Blue Devils are the dominant team no matter who they play.
UCLA vs Iowa
Iowa, once again, is a solid club and deserve to be here. But UCLA is still better.
8 Bracket
Duke vs UCLA
This is the most annoying bracket in this tournament because a club team has to move on, but Duke wipes them out and does get to the final four.
Final Four
Oddly, this bracket is plausible in the world of basketball in some ways.
Maryland vs North Carolina
Villanova vs Duke
This appears to be heading to a matchup of Carolina teams with fourth ranked Duke and second ranked UNC. Will North Carolina be the Kentucky of this tournament as an undefeated team?
