Sector SPDRs May Madness: Quint — Denver and Annapolis regionals offer a study in contrasts (IL)

[OrangeXtreme]

Not sure whether the NCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament gods planned it this way, but the big difference between the Denver and Annapolis regionals comes down to pedigree.

In Denver, you have four teams who have great tournament resumes but haven't been able to fill out that last line with "NCAA champion." Although they have been great in the regular season and have made long tournament runs, they've never brought that trophy home.

That could change this year. Notre Dame is the overall No. 1 seed. Albany is the most exciting team in the tournament, and it has the best player. Denver, which battled with the Fighting Irish for the No. 1 ranking for much of the early season, and Ohio State are two of the hottest teams in the country right now.

In Annapolis, you have the blue bloods and some of the biggest names in the sport: Johns Hopkins, Maryland, North Carolina and Syracuse. For years, you could almost pencil them in for the final four before the season started.

It should be an incredible weekend, with one doubleheader in Denver on Saturday and another in Annapolis on Sunday.

Here's a look at each game, with a win meaning a trip to Philadelphia next weekend for the NCAA semifinals:

http://www.insidelacrosse.com/artic...arterfinal-regions-a-study-in-contrasts/32120

 

[GoSU96]

Not sure whether the NCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament gods planned it this way, but the big difference between the Denver and Annapolis regionals comes down to pedigree.

In Denver, you have four teams who have great tournament resumes but haven't been able to fill out that last line with "NCAA champion." Although they have been great in the regular season and have made long tournament runs, they've never brought that trophy home.

That could change this year. Notre Dame is the overall No. 1 seed. Albany is the most exciting team in the tournament, and it has the best player. Denver, which battled with the Fighting Irish for the No. 1 ranking for much of the early season, and Ohio State are two of the hottest teams in the country right now.

In Annapolis, you have the blue bloods and some of the biggest names in the sport: Johns Hopkins, Maryland, North Carolina and Syracuse. For years, you could almost pencil them in for the final four before the season started.

It should be an incredible weekend, with one doubleheader in Denver on Saturday and another in Annapolis on Sunday.

Here's a look at each game, with a win meaning a trip to Philadelphia next weekend for the NCAA semifinals:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/...senich-column-0515-20150514-story.html#page=1

Think Albany wins, Denver wins, UNC wins.

Think SU and Hopkins is a toss up right now.

Would love to see an SU v Albany final, hope it happens.

 

[PhatOrange]

Albany, Denver, UNC and Syracuse.

 

[texascpa]

Think Albany wins, Denver wins, UNC wins.

Think SU and Hopkins is a toss up right now.

Would love to see an SU v Albany final, hope it happens.

Why is SU a toss-up. We beat them once, have only lost twice, once in OT to the No. 1 team and by two goals to the No. 2 team, which we avenged. Yeah, Hopkins has been hot lately, but we've been hot all year. I think we smoke them. Our offense is that good.

 

[PhatOrange]

Think Albany wins, Denver wins, UNC wins.

Think SU and Hopkins is a toss up right now.

Would love to see an SU v Albany final, hope it happens.

I'm curious why you think SU/Hopkins is a toss up game or are you just playing it safe?

 

[El Jefe Syr]

Why is SU a toss-up. We beat them once, have only lost twice, once in OT to the No. 1 team and by two goals to the No. 2 team, which we avenged. Yeah, Hopkins has been hot lately, but we've been hot all year. I think we smoke them. Our offense is that good.

In my opinion if two of four of the following things happen in addition to Hop playing their A/B+ game we could lose: (1) Williams has a sub-par day at FO, (2) Wardwell isn't "seeing it", (3) our D is stymied by the re-vamped Hopkins offensive sets, (4) our mids outside of Galasso aren't productive in scoring.

I don't see these happening though. I'm hoping that Evans continues his great play from last week. Defenses already know that Staats, Rice and Donohue can't have any room and that Lecky and Galasso can't have much either. If Evans, Barber, and Schoonmaker can make the Hop D pay... That will be huge going forward. Should be a good game.