Eight automatic qualifiers are up for grabs over the next week.
With the Patriot League Quarterfinals on Tuesday night, there s no reason to turn away from your laptop or TV for the next six days with the amount of action on much of it staggered across the day so you ll be able to see most finishes.
Here are our picks for conference champions a piece that s routinely become bulletin-board fodder on Championship Saturday.
America East
Terry Foy: UMBC
I’m picking the Retrievers because of a combination of home-field advantage, conference tournament experience, close game experience and the idea that defense wins in May (which, in the shot clock era, I’m not even certain is true any longer).
Monday May 3rd, 2021 8:00am
(Photo Notre Dame Athletics)
Conference tournaments take center stage this week as eight leagues will hand out AQs and a trip to May Madness. The NCAA Tournament will also welcome eight at-large selections. The ACC will grab five of the eight at-large bids. That leaves three open spots for teams that fail to capture their league crown. It’s as easy as 8-8-5-3. Runners-up with resumes from the Patriot, Big East and Big Ten are likely to receive those three last bids.
All the intrigue makes this week the most intense of the season, the moment of truth. Win and advance, lose and go home.
We were treated to a smorgasbord of television games, rivalry games and contests that had league-standing significance.
The ACC Thursday Night Thriller remains undefeated. Navy earned the Star in front of 5,000 fans in Annapolis. UMBC keeps winning overtime games. Otto bounced back in Charlottesville. The Drexel Dragons and Saint Joe’s Hawks have momentum in late April.
For some, this week is the last of the regular season. For others it s the chance to play for a conference automatic qualifier where every game has Game 7’ intensity and ramifications. Right now, there are roughly 45 teams in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament.
Photo Courtesy of Syracuse Athletic Communications)
Duke took down Virginia in overtime on Thursday. Manhattan, Delaware and Georgetown all won in extra time. Mac O’Keefe is now the career goals leader in DI lacrosse. The Heels rolled the Orange out of the Carrier Dome. Saint Joe s, Delaware and Towson all won vital games.
I was able to watch Michigan at Penn State on Friday night. While it wasn’t the prettiest game you’ll ever see especially on the defensive side of the ball the compete level was high, as both teams let if fly. Mac O Keefe eclipsed the all-time career goal-scoring mark on a sidearm riser that pinged a corner and eventually bagged the golden goal in overtime. To see the Nittany Lions celebrate the win after a difficult campaign was a great reminder: keep battling. All victories, whether big or small, are significant.
In a meeting of two of the top teams in the NEC, Saint Joe’s left no doubt, winning 13-5. Zach Cole went 20-of-22 at the face-off X, surpassing 400 wins on his career, and Evan Campbell (3G, 2A) led Hawk scoring. Saint Joe’s as decisive from start to finish, moving into sole possession of first place in the NEC at 6-0 (6-3 overall). That was a well-earned victory over a very good lacrosse team, said coach Taylor Wray. Every time you play the Bryant Bulldogs, you know you are going to be in for a really physical, highly-contested game. I thought our defense played terrific and executed the game plan well. The face-off game was highly tilted in our favor, which stopped Bryant from making their traditional runs, and we made some plays in transition that allowed us to separate. Evan Campbell was terrific on both ends of the field today, Josh Bosher had his best game of the season, and Zach Cole returns to form at the face-off. There s a lot to be proud of from this game, and a lo