There’s a lot to be excited about in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. With three rematches and even more intriguing contests, here are some thoughts and predictions on the upcoming slate of games.
Can’t Miss Game
Albany at #8 Cornell
The first game of the Round of 16 (Saturday at 12 p.m.) has entertainment value written all over it. The Great Danes far and away lead the nation in scoring offense, averaging 17.41 goals per game led by their all-world attackman Lyle Thompson. The Cornell Big Red aren’t too shabby either, standing 18th nationally themselves with an 11.63 scoring average. The teams met in late February in Dallas Texas, a game the Big Red won 16-9. The teams are both much different teams now; there’s no reason to think Saturday won’t be a close contest.
Unseeded Team Most Likely To Win
Johns Hopkins at #7 Virginia
Johns Hopkins is red hot, winning five straight games to turn around a tough beginning to the season. Standing 4-6 after 10 games, the Blue Jays were on the fringe of not making the NCAA Tournament. They erased any doubt by beating Penn State, Michigan and Maryland to earn the #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament then beating Penn State and Ohio State in the tournament to clinch the automatic berth into the big dance. Meanwhile, Virginia has enjoyed a strong season at 10-4 overall, but features just two win overs NCAA Tournament teams (Cornell and Johns Hopkins). The Cavaliers’ resume is more than enough to earn a seed, deservingly so, but combined with the Blue Jays’ hot streak, it’s not implausible to see Virginia fall at home. One of three first-round rematches, Virginia defeated Johns Hopkins 16-15 in overtime on March 21. Like Albany and Cornell, the teams are much different this time around.
Bold Statement
Colgate will make it interesting at #3 North Carolina
The Raiders may not beat the Tar Heels, but they will put a scare in UNC. At 10-5 overall, Colgate has won six of its last seven games with the only loss coming to NCAA Tournament #2 seed Syracuse by a slim 9-7 final. The Raiders have won and have impressed doing so, dominating Bucknell in the league semifinals 18-5 and beating Army West Point 11-8 in the championship game. The run began with an impressive 11-4 win at Loyola on March 28. Colgate also lost an overtime game at Cornell in March and is very capable of playing against the nation’s elite. The Patriot League Tournament field featured six teams with an RPI between 17 and 29. The league was very deep and Colgate came out on top.
This “bold statement” isn’t a negative against North Carolina. The Tar Heels will come out ready to play (and will likely still win), but not before Colgate keeps it interesting for a significant portion of the game.
Closing Thoughts
This is the best time of year in college lacrosse. NCAA Tournament games are on all day Saturday and Sunday. There are some tremendous matchups. Albany at Cornell, Johns Hopkins at Virginia and Yale at Maryland are all rematches and should be dogfights. Even Ohio State at Duke is intriguing for a Buckeyes team that is clearly capable of beating the best – with wins over Denver and Maryland – against the Blue Devils looking to win a third straight National Championship. Even Brown at Denver and Colgate at North Carolina has intrigue. Don’t sleep on the play-in winners, either. Remember last year when Bryant went from play-in game to a win at Syracuse and National Quarterfinal appearance? Get ready for May Madness. Enjoy the weekend!
