NCAA Final Four Games for May 28-30

[ClvrUsrnm]

Yeah I've always appreciated the format of 2 games in 3 days, but I think there is solid evidence that giving a week in between would be better. I was a little surprised how out of gas Maryland looked in the 4th but the way the circumstances broke for them on Saturday maybe it shouldn't have been.

Hockey is a two-day turnaround too.

How many days are in between the soccer semis and finals?

I know it’s not a perfect comparison, but it’s better than basketball.

 

[PhatOrange]

Saturday Monday turnaround is perfectly fine imo. I would hate to be laid off for a week as a player or a coach. Guys looked gassed because it was 90 degrees in Hartford today.

 

[cuselaxss26]

Yeah I've always appreciated the format of 2 games in 3 days, but I think there is solid evidence that giving a week in between would be better. I was a little surprised how out of gas Maryland looked in the 4th but the way the circumstances broke for them on Saturday maybe it shouldn't have been.

Well think having it all same weekend helps fans save money as can get hotels and what not all weekend instead of two times week apart possibly. Gotta remember a lot prob travel not all in house clearly. I think clearly the delay was without factor more then normal just day rest. But that’s when men are separated from the boys. I’m little more concerned with how transfer portal changing game. Feel like will be bigger schools getting majority of these big transfers and dominate sport like the blue bloods use to. Which then can make team like maryland this year just go thru with no one to stop them or come close. Honestly what game maryland play this year was actually exciting to watch? Mean cuse game of course was hyped but still wasn’t really close game. Thought any game maryland play was jus boring to watch besides the fantastic ball movement and snipers they have. Just feel once again these smaller schools trying to catch up will never catch up and ultimately like see game grow and more teams be able to compete, not just usual suspects. Also feel some people get turned off who arnt normal lax fans by lopsided playoff games or chips. Guess besides few games of tournament was kinda boring (big part no cuse in it). Either way congrats to maryland and he’ll of job by cornell they def battled. CJk is def a beast!

 

[UrbanaOrange]

I thought this game was a good endorsement for getting rid of the final four and moving the final to the next weekend.
Neither team played particularly well. The offenses struggled, lots of turnovers,...

If you throw the teams out there with one day's rest, you'll get some sort of hard fought game, but it might not be the showcase game you wanted.

I agree with moving it back a week as well. I would also like to see them moving the game to MLS sized stadiums. The NCAA got it right with the women. The atmosphere at Homewood was awesome.

 

[BomberOrange]

I thought this game was a good endorsement for getting rid of the final four and moving the final to the next weekend.
Neither team played particularly well. The offenses struggled, lots of turnovers,...

If you throw the teams out there with one day's rest, you'll get some sort of hard fought game, but it might not be the showcase game you wanted.

I respectfully disagree. It has worked this way for years and I honestly don't remember fatigue being an issue ever before. The best team usually wins and it happened yesterday. It's a great weekend celebration for lacrosse and to extend it out would take away from that imho.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

I agree with moving it back a week as well. I would also like to see them moving the game to MLS sized stadiums. The NCAA got it right with the women. The atmosphere at Homewood was awesome.

I like the idea of moving it to smaller stadiums too as do many fans I think, however the next 4 Championship weekends are in Philly and Foxborough so I guess the NCAA doesn't see it the same way.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I like the idea of moving it to smaller stadiums too as do many fans I think, however the next 4 Championship weekends are in Philly and Foxborough so I guess the NCAA doesn't see it the same way.

Like Super Bowls and Basketball Final Fours, everything is bid on years in advance.

We'll have to wait and see where the 2027-30 LAX Tournaments end up.

 

[orange79]

I thought this game was a good endorsement for getting rid of the final four and moving the final to the next weekend.
Neither team played particularly well. The offenses struggled, lots of turnovers,...

If you throw the teams out there with one day's rest, you'll get some sort of hard fought game, but it might not be the showcase game you wanted.

This is a rather poorly-considered take. Are you chapped MD didn't cover the spread? Did a hard-fought, low scoring game offend your LAX sensibilities?

I guess last year it was the defense's turn to struggle (UVa 17-16). Is that determined by coin flip?

Here's the championship game list. Lot's of high scoring games. Also lots of 7-5, 9-8 games too. Along with everything in between. Seriously not sure why you would want to change something that has worked for years, along with the results literally not favoring offense or defense over its history, thereby negating your main point.

And then there's the additional cost of holding an event across two weekends, for the NCAA, for the schools, and for the families of the players and fans of the team. Not insignificant, at all.

Non-starter, IMO.

 

[upperdeck]

I guess it was not all that public news but Adler is coming back next year for Cornell.

 

[sutomcat]

Like Super Bowls and Basketball Final Fours, everything is bid on years in advance.

We'll have to wait and see where the 2027-30 LAX Tournaments end up.

If the dome does not host at least a couple of these, I will be very very very upset. Best sight lines. Best scoreboard. Only site with AC.

Fantastic internet access.

The cradle of lacrosse. The heart of the sport.

And we will of course be playing. Maybe Cornell too. Woo hoo!

 

[orange79]

If the dome does not host at least a couple of these, I will be very very very upset. Best sight lines. Best scoreboard. Only site with AC.

Fantastic internet access.

The cradle of lacrosse. The heart of the sport.

And we will of course be playing. Maybe Cornell too. Woo hoo!

Based on the NCAA's past performance, this post pretty much ensures those FF's will all be played in Atlanta.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

If the dome does not host at least a couple of these, I will be very very very upset. Best sight lines. Best scoreboard. Only site with AC.

Fantastic internet access.

The cradle of lacrosse. The heart of the sport.

And we will of course be playing. Maybe Cornell too. Woo hoo!

We should bid on a Regional.

Syracuse in one game.

Cornell or Scooby in the other.

 

[Hoo's That]

As a point of reference, the "Final Four" concept came in with the 1986 championship at Delaware. Until then, only the final was at a pre-designated site and all the other rounds were at campus sites of the higher seeded teams.

 

[Zack80]

This is a rather poorly-considered take. Are you chapped MD didn't cover the spread? Did a hard-fought, low scoring game offend your LAX sensibilities?

I guess last year it was the defense's turn to struggle (UVa 17-16). Is that determined by coin flip?

Here's the championship game list. Lot's of high scoring games. Also lots of 7-5, 9-8 games too. Along with everything in between. Seriously not sure why you would want to change something that has worked for years, along with the results literally not favoring offense or defense over its history, thereby negating your main point.

And then there's the additional cost of holding an event across two weekends, for the NCAA, for the schools, and for the families of the players and fans of the team. Not insignificant, at all.

Non-starter, IMO.

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How do you know it has worked for years? Maybe it really hasn't.

It is the biggest game of the year. It seems reasonable to allow the teams to prepare themselves over a week. Also, minor injuries might heal up over a weeks time.

Having a week in between, would allow ESPN to hype the game for a week, and maybe the attendance and viewership would actually be higher.

 

[longtimefan]

As a point of reference, the "Final Four" concept came in with the 1986 championship at Delaware. Until then, only the final was at a pre-designated site and all the other rounds were at campus sites of the higher seeded teams.

Who attended the 1986 championship in Newark, DE? (Raises hand.)

Just showing my age.

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

How do you know it has worked for years? Maybe it really hasn't.

It is the biggest game of the year. It seems reasonable to allow the teams to prepare themselves over a week. Also, minor injuries might heal up over a weeks time.

Having a week in between, would allow ESPN to hype the game for a week, and maybe the attendance and viewership would actually be higher.

They could also put the D2 and D3 finals on Saturday and the mens and womens finals on Sunday. Still make a full weekend out of it, so people get their money’s worth.

 

[Hoo's That]

Who attended the 1986 championship in Newark, DE? (Raises hand.)

Just showing my age.

Me, too.

 

[SWC75]

This is a rather poorly-considered take. Are you chapped MD didn't cover the spread? Did a hard-fought, low scoring game offend your LAX sensibilities?

I guess last year it was the defense's turn to struggle (UVa 17-16). Is that determined by coin flip?

Here's the championship game list. Lot's of high scoring games. Also lots of 7-5, 9-8 games too. Along with everything in between. Seriously not sure why you would want to change something that has worked for years, along with the results literally not favoring offense or defense over its history, thereby negating your main point.

And then there's the additional cost of holding an event across two weekends, for the NCAA, for the schools, and for the families of the players and fans of the team. Not insignificant, at all.

Non-starter, IMO.

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These teams have run the table:
1976 Cornell
1977 Cornell
1979 John's Hopkins
1981 North Carolina
1982 North Carolina
1984 Johns Hopkins
1988 Syracuse
1990 Syracuse
1991 North Carolina
1997 Princeton
2005 Johns Hopkins
2006 Virginia
2022 Maryland

How would you rank those teams? Maryland obviously did it when it was a lot harder to do - no one had done it in 16 years. But are championship teams as strong now as they were in past decades when fewer schools split up the talent? or has the talent base grown with the spread of the sport?

 

[upperdeck]

how many teams have run the table and lost in the finals as well I wonder.. I know there have been a few.

 

[CuseAlum87]

how many teams have run the table and lost in the finals as well I wonder.. I know there have been a few.

well, Maryland did last year went 15-1 losing to Virginia in the final. Beat Vermont, Notre Dame, and Duke in the playoffs after playing a Big10 only regular season.

 

[Bill Orange]

Who attended the 1986 championship in Newark, DE? (Raises hand.)

Just showing my age.

Moi. And every championship game ever.

 

[longtimefan]

Moi. And every championship game ever.

All the way back to '71, or since they went to the Final Four format?

 

[longtimefan]

These teams have run the table:
1976 Cornell
1977 Cornell
1979 John's Hopkins
1981 North Carolina
1982 North Carolina
1984 Johns Hopkins
1988 Syracuse
1990 Syracuse
1991 North Carolina
1997 Princeton
2005 Johns Hopkins
2006 Virginia
2022 Maryland

How would you rank those teams? Maryland obviously did it when it was a lot harder to do - no one had done it in 16 years. But are championship teams as strong now as they were in past decades when fewer schools split up the talent? or has the talent base grown with the spread of the sport?

I think the 1990 SU team was the best.

First of all, they had trouble getting anyone to play them that season. They played only 10 regular-season games. If you know Slugger, or even know of him, you know he was ready to play anyone at any time.

Plus they completely obliterated the opposition all season--20+ goals in 10 of 13 games, including all 3 in the tournament.

Speaking of the tournament--they beat UNC in the semifinals 21-10. Why is this noteworthy? Because the Tar Heels had a helluva club, as shown by the fact that they went 16-0 the next season to win the championship.

 

[longtimefan]

how many teams have run the table and lost in the finals as well I wonder.. I know there have been a few.

Cornell in '78 and '87.

 

[Bill Orange]

All the way back to '71, or since they went to the Final Four format?

1983 forward. Went to every FF until the streak ended at UMass. (Curse of TGD? ;-) )