OrangeXtreme
The Mayor of Dewitt
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My main man Seamus over at O'Hanlons in New York has probably never had to break up two patrons from arguing "Who's No. 2?" but that is the discussion today in college lacrosse. It's the classic debate between data and head-to-head. This voter is a head-to-head guy.
There is no arguing that North Carolina's overall resume is much more impressive than Maryland's. In fact if the season ended today, the Tar Heels could be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, ahead of Notre Dame, since the Heels beat a Denver team that handed the Irish their only loss. There is also no denying that Carolina wins the eye test after beating Syracuse while the Terps eked out a win over Rutgers.
All that, though, gets trumped by a game that was actually played. Maryland and North Carolina lined up on a field, a neutral site no less in California, and Maryland was the better team and won the game. We have no idea what Maryland's record would be if it was still in the battle royale that is the ACC but the fact of the matter is the Terps are 11-1 and the one loss was on the road in the season-opener to a Yale team that is in the Top 10.
Maryland is No. 2. Now if Carolina wins in South Bend on Saturday, Seamus might have his work cut out for him because then the debate will be "Who's No. 1?"
To a look back at the weekend...
North Carolina 17, Syracuse 15
This game was a great advertisement for the sport of lacrosse on TV and on campus. "It was fun, it was old school 80s lacrosse," Joe Breschi told me. "We had a good crowd, it was alumni weekend and it was a shootout, which we like." He also likes the final score as the Heels jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first quarter and then held on for dear life.
"Getting off to a quick start and getting the early lead was key," Breschi said. "Kieran Burke made eight saves in the first quarter and how well we shot the ball was the difference."
North Carolina has now stared down Trevor Baptiste of Denver and Ben Williams of Syracuse at the X and lived to tell about it. Stephen Kelly was only 14 of 35 on Saturday but with the score 17-15 and Carolina a man-down he won a critical faceoff that helped stymie a 'Cuse comeback.
http://laxmagazine.com/college_men/...mcananey_who_is_number_two_tar_heels_or_terps
There is no arguing that North Carolina's overall resume is much more impressive than Maryland's. In fact if the season ended today, the Tar Heels could be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, ahead of Notre Dame, since the Heels beat a Denver team that handed the Irish their only loss. There is also no denying that Carolina wins the eye test after beating Syracuse while the Terps eked out a win over Rutgers.
All that, though, gets trumped by a game that was actually played. Maryland and North Carolina lined up on a field, a neutral site no less in California, and Maryland was the better team and won the game. We have no idea what Maryland's record would be if it was still in the battle royale that is the ACC but the fact of the matter is the Terps are 11-1 and the one loss was on the road in the season-opener to a Yale team that is in the Top 10.
Maryland is No. 2. Now if Carolina wins in South Bend on Saturday, Seamus might have his work cut out for him because then the debate will be "Who's No. 1?"
To a look back at the weekend...
North Carolina 17, Syracuse 15
This game was a great advertisement for the sport of lacrosse on TV and on campus. "It was fun, it was old school 80s lacrosse," Joe Breschi told me. "We had a good crowd, it was alumni weekend and it was a shootout, which we like." He also likes the final score as the Heels jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first quarter and then held on for dear life.
"Getting off to a quick start and getting the early lead was key," Breschi said. "Kieran Burke made eight saves in the first quarter and how well we shot the ball was the difference."
North Carolina has now stared down Trevor Baptiste of Denver and Ben Williams of Syracuse at the X and lived to tell about it. Stephen Kelly was only 14 of 35 on Saturday but with the score 17-15 and Carolina a man-down he won a critical faceoff that helped stymie a 'Cuse comeback.
http://laxmagazine.com/college_men/...mcananey_who_is_number_two_tar_heels_or_terps
