Conference championship weekend has come and gone. Each conference has their winner and the at large bids have been awarded. The bubble was popped on teams that could have made some noise in the tournament and I would love to see some bracket expansion in the coming years. The selection show was Sunday night, and the 2021 NCAA Tournament Bracket is set.

We will unpack the entire bracket in a big but first a few notes about the excitement that was conference championship weekend this past weekend.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND

America East

Vermont’s sharpshooters came to play on Saturday morning as the Catamounts took down Albany15-10 in the America East final. The win marked Vermont’s first ever NCAA tournament berth. The beginning of the game was back and forth, tied at every number from 1-7 before Vermont was able to pull away. In the first 6 minutes of the third quarter Vermont scored four goals to lead 12-7. Liam Limoges had three goals and one assist including this absurd around the world below, and McConvey had four goals, two assists. Vermont’s ticket is punched.

Big Ten

Maryland and Hopkins had a back and forth exciting matchup on Saturday evening when they competed for the Big Ten championship from Happy Valley. This one was also close and these two came out of the gates absolutely firing. Hopkins led 6-5 after the first quarter. 11 goals were scored in 15 minutes and it was as hectic as you would imagine. When Hopkins went up 9-6 a minute into the third quarter, they were playing so well that you wouldn’t imagine that Maryland would score 6 of the last 7 goals to win 12-10. The Terps complete the season sweep with three wins over the Blue Jays and are Big Ten Champions.

Big East

Georgetown and Denver’s championship game drew all the emotions from the Hoyas head coach Kevin Warne in the last five minutes. Freshman Dylan Hess caught a pass from a save on the defensive end and raced downfield, sped up past the midfield line and went down to score with just over four minutes to play to give Georgetown a 10-9 lead. The problem? Georgetown coach called a timeout right before the shot to take the goal off the board. Under a minute later, it was Hess once again dodging along goal line extended to score the 10th and winning goal for the Hoyas. Hess finished with 3 goals on 4 shots and the Hoyas are Big East champions for the third straight year.

CAA

Drexel has won nine games in a row and took down Hofstra to win the muddled CAA this year. The CAA was one of those conferences that could have seen any of the four tournament teams win, and Drexel’s winning streak didn’t stop for the conference tournament. Running out to a 10-2 lead at halftime, Drexel didn’t look back, and as Hofstra came chipping back it was never closer than a four goal game as the Dragons ended up taking the CAA 15-11. Reid Bowering had 5 goals on the afternoon to lead the way.

MAAC

Monmouth took down Manhattan on Saturday to claim the MAAC. After going down 3-1, Monmouth went on a 6 goal run and never looked back, finishing off the 14-9 win to become MAAC champions. In their first conference championship since 2017, Matt Soutar won 20 of 27 faceoffs and was named the MVP. Monmouth will take on the nation’s #1 seed UNC next weekend in Chapel Hill.

Patriot

In what was the most bizarre conference this weekend, the championship was slated to be played on Sunday afternoon between Lehigh and Loyola. Unfortunately, Loyola had a positive COVID test on Saturday night and had to forfeit the championship, likely ending their season. Lehigh advanced with the Patriot League crown to the NCAA tournament. The committee awarded Loyola likely the last at large bid due to their semifinal win over Army as it looks like that semifinal was essentially a play-in game to the tournament. Loyola is in and they will continue their season next weekend.

NEC

Bryant is 5 for 5 in conference championships, as they took down St. Joes on Saturday afternoon to claim the NEC. Mike Pressler’s squad has never lost a conference championship, winning their fifth this past weekend. Through three quarters it was a tightly contested game until the fourth when Bryant outscored St. Joes 6-1 and out-saved them 5-2. Marc O’Rourke had four goals and an assist and Bryant was able to extend their season.

SoCon

High Point upset Richmond in the final to make their first tournament since 2015. Richmond was the frontrunner all year in the SoCon, but they struggled late in the year, losing to Air Force and High Point and failing to get the AQ. High Point avenged a mid-season 17-10 loss by getting a fast start this time out and holding a 7-3 halftime lead. Former Division 3 standout at Lynchburg Kevin Rogers had four goals and an assist to continue his stellar season. The High Point Panthers are tournament bound and their ticket is punched.

NCAA TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

AND HERE. WE. GO. The NCAA tournament is here, the bracket is set. The top seeds below will look to continue their tournament dominance.

#1 North Carolina vs Monmouth

#2 Duke vs High Point

#3 Maryland vs Vermont

#4 Virginia vs Bryant

#5 Georgetown vs Syracuse

#6 Notre Dame vs Drexel

#7 Denver vs Loyola

#8 Lehigh vs Rutgers

A few quick bits regarding the tournament and the field:

Since tournament expansion in 2003:

  • the #1 seed reached Memorial Day Weekend in every season except 2011
  • Here are the championships by seed.

#1 seed: 5x

#2 seed: 2x

#3 seed: 4x

#4 seed: 2x

#5 seed: 1x

#6 seed: 0

#7 seed: 2x

#8 seed: 0

Unseeded: 1x

  • No #6 seed has ever won a title in the NCAA era.
  • Syracuse in ’99 is the only 8-seed to reach Champ Weekend
  • The #1 seed has reached Championship Weekend 16 times. That’s the most of any seed. The #5 seed is next with 10 semifinal appearances.
  • The last major upset came in 2016 when Towson def #2 seed Denver, defending national champs

Four teams are facing big tournament firsts:

  • This weekend’s game against Maryland will be Vermont’s first NCAA appearance
  • Lehigh is seeking their first NCAA tournament win
  • Rutgers will look for their first NCAA tournament win since 1990
  • Georgetown hasn’t won an NCAA tournament game since 2007

Without boring you too much with the numbers, let’s get into the matchups this coming weekend and my predictions for the tournament.

FIRST ROUND

#1 North Carolina-Monmouth – Saturday, 12pm

UNC will attempt to continue their dominance they showed throughout the regular season ACC slate this weekend when they take on MAAC champion Monmouth. The Heels haven’t played since May 1, when they beat Duke. Tanner Cook was absent from that matchup, so we will see if he is able to get back on the field after two weeks. Monmouth’s strength is their defense, as they were able to limit opposing offenses to under 10 goals in eight of ten games. They will face their toughest task in Chris Gray, Nicky Solomon, Will Perry and company. Carolina has opened as 7.5 goal favorites on Saturday afternoon, and I think they should be able to cover that line.

UNC 19, Monmouth 8

#8 Lehigh-Rutgers – Saturday, 2:30pm

This will be one of the more intriguing matchups of the weekend. Rutgers has limped into the tournament, struggling to beat Michigan and losing to Hopkins. Lehigh hasn’t played their best lacrosse in a few weeks after winning the Patriot League by a COVID postponement. It is also the battle of the Kirst family. Cole, a junior attackman for Lehigh, has 32 points on the season; Connor, graduate student attackman for Rutgers has been one of the best in the country with 47 points; and Colin, the senior goalie for Rutgers has posted a 55% save percentage this season. Lehigh boasts a smothering defense and a faceoff man who has won 80% of his faceoffs this season, giving an immediate advantage to Lehigh’s offense. Rutgers is going to have to get away from their transition style of play and take care of the ball as to keep possession and not wear out their defense. If Lehigh is able to convert opportunities early and limit Rutgers’ possession, they will come out victorious. If Rutgers’ defense can turn defensive stops into long, successful possessions, they should be able to win. I think Mike Sisselberger is the difference and Lehigh wins by a few.

Lehigh 13, Rutgers 9

#6 Notre Dame-Drexel – Saturday, 5pm

If we were to see a huge upset on opening weekend, I would think you would be talking about Drexel over Lehigh. The CAA was a gauntlet this year, with every team seemingly having a chance at the title, but here comes Drexel, winners of 9 straight after starting 1-2. Drexel is an extremely balanced team, as they post the 13th best offensive and defensive efficiency in the nation. Two keys to win the game for Drexel is winning the faceoff X and getting their offense clicking early. Notre Dame struggles at the faceoff X, and if Drexel is able to win the X and keep the ball on the offensive end, they will wear down Notre Dame’s D and keep the ball out of Pat Kavanagh’s hands. The Notre Dame offense runs through the sophomore who has been making mind blowing plays all year long. Drexel will use a lot to keep him in check, but Notre Dame has shown they can initiate through their midfield as well, making them a tough out and a team deep enough to make it to championship weekend. The 6 seed was low for the Fighting Irish, and they will indeed have to fight off Drexel to keep their season alive. I think they can in a close one.

Notre Dame 12, Drexel 10

#5 Georgetown-Syracuse – Saturday, 7:30pm

Saturday’s slate is loaded. The nightcap is going to be an awesome game and will put strength on strength with the Cuse O vs the Georgetown D. Georgetown opened at a 2.5 goal favorite which has to be due to having the #1 ranked save percentage in the nation. Owen McElroy is saving 60% this season and the Georgetown defense is one to thank for that. They have been stellar all year, limiting opposing offenses to under ten goals in 11 of 14 games this year. The Hoyas offense that started off on fire has cooled down a bit but still has seven players that have scored over 20 points. On the other side, Syracuse couldn’t have drawn a better spot. A winnable game in Georgetown followed by a potential third meeting with Virginia, whom they have beaten twice this year (20-10 and 13-11). Syracuse’s offense has the capabilities to score, and score at will. Their midfield is one of the best in the nation and Owen Hiltz, Stephen Rehfuss and Owen Siebold have played well together since Chase Scanlan’s departure. Cuse has a major chance to win this game if they can get shots on goal and past McElroy. This is a close game, and it depends on how the defense of Syracuse plays. They last played on May 7th and should be fairly healthy. I think Cuse is able to pull the upset and show how dominant the ACC really is.

Syracuse 13, Georgetown 12

#4 Virginia-Bryant – Sunday, 12pm

Virginia hasn’t played since April 24th. It will be 22 days in between their last game and their opening round game against Bryant. Take that as you will. Could be an advantage, could be a disadvantage; we do not see college lacrosse teams go that long without playing a game too often. They’ll come in losers of 2 out of 3 but still with one of the most dangerous rosters in the nation. Their four losses are all in ACC play. The same Dox Aitken who led Virginia to a National Championship in 2019 is seventh on the team in scoring. Jared Connors, Petey LaSalla and Alex Rode are still in the lineup. Two years later, Virginia will have a very similar team to the one who won it in 2019 and Bryant will have their hands full. Led by former Duke coach Mike Pressler, Bryant plays a tough, grind-it-out style of lacrosse. They will give Virginia a game for 4 quarters. I think Virginia’s firepower offensively is too much for a Bryant team that allows double digit goals to NEC teams.

UVA 17, Bryant 8

#3 Maryland-Vermont – Sunday, 2:30pm

Vermont draws a tough, undefeated Maryland team who has been clicking all season. Maryland won the Big Ten over rival Hopkins and are as balanced of a team you will see. They don’t have a weak spot on their roster. The Terps are a well-oiled machine which is one reason I don’t see them being taken down in the first round. Don’t get me wrong, Vermont is a very capable team with shooters like JJ Levandowski and Michael McCormack who have been destroying corners all season. They bring a Canadian flare as well, with four of their top-8 scorers being from north of the border. They haven’t won their conference and advanced to the NCAA tournament before and they will be playing with passion. It is a style that Maryland has not seen yet this season. For Maryland, it is a test of “how good is the Big Ten?”, but I think many people are underplaying the talent in that league. Maryland boasts Tewaaraton frontrunner Jared Bernhardt who can take over any game, which I believe he will do Sunday afternoon.

Terps 16, Vermont 9

#2 Duke-High Point – Sunday, 5pm

A rematch! Duke and High Point played a game in March that the Panthers would sure love to forget about in preparation of this coming weekend. Duke beat High point 27-8, as it was their fourth loss in a row and second time in three games, they gave up 27 goals. Fast forward two months, High Point has won 7 of 8 games, and avenged the loss to Richmond with a SoCon championship. This is not the same High Point team that lost 27-8 and that will not happen again. Asher Nolting is a fabulous facilitator and feeder, while Division 3 transfer from Lynchburg Kevin Rogers leads the team with 36 goals. They are tough, they get up and down the field, and they are playing with house money…nobody expected them to be here, and nobody expects them to beat Duke. And what a tough task they have. One of the deepest teams that college lacrosse has seen in years boasts stud freshmen as well as contributing graduate students. They have had 14 days to rest, recover and prepare for the tournament. They have begun contributing a lot more through the midfield in the prior weeks, which has taken the load off Sowers, O’Neill and Robertson. Duke has National Championship aspirations this spring.

Duke 18, High Point 8

#7 Denver-Loyola – Sunday, 7:30pm

Welcome to the show, Loyola! The Greyhounds are in after one of the roughest cases of Sunday Scaries those guys have probably ever seen. The Hounds were in the Patriot League championship, which was then cancelled, and they had to cling onto hopes their season would continue with an at-large bid which was delivered to them. They draw an amazing matchup, as Denver has not been playing their best lacrosse in the past couple of weeks, while they have. Denver has a deep roster with PLL talent all over it. They are able to score, shut teams down and win faceoffs. Loyola has been one of the most inconsistent offenses in the nation and have seemed to figure that out in the last two weeks. They are deep offensively and have experience on the defensive end. But the real question is how many more games will they get? I see this as my second upset of the first round. They are inspired and have been playing great lacrosse.

Loyola 11, Georgetown 10

QUARTERFINALS

#1 UNC – #8 Lehigh

Tar Heels too dangerous offensively for Lehigh, despite the fact that Sisselberger wins faceoffs. Lehigh keeps it close, but UNC pulls away late. 15-11 UNC

Syracuse – #4 Virginia

The third matchup of these two this year, Lars Tiffany will not let them go 0-3. The defending champions are going to sell out to stop the Cuse midfield, Hiltz and Rehfuss. UVA 13, Cuse 12 (OT)

#3 Maryland – #6 Notre Dame

If you told me this was the national championship, I would probably agree with you. The fact that they meet in the quarters is a crime. Bernhardt vs Kavanagh will deliver highlights but the complete Terps will pull another fourth quarter comeback to move to the final four. Terps 12, ND 11

Loyola – #2 Duke

The Dukies end Loyola’s run with an outstanding game from Max Adler in the cage. Sowers is too fast for Cam Wyers and Duke’s depth keeps them motoring through all four quarters. Duke 15, Loyola 9

FINAL FOUR

#1 UNC – #4 Virginia

Another tough faceoff matchup for UNC with Petey LaSalla will be offset by Collin Krieg in cage. The freshman will make enough saves to send UNC to the final, and Chris Gray is going to show everyone why he is a good pick for the Tewaaraton.

#3 Maryland – #2 Duke

Don’t shame the Big Ten! The Terps are too complete and knock off the juggernaut Duke to make the final. Jared Bernhardt makes his own case for Tewaaraton

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

#3 Maryland – #1 UNC

For all the marbles. Jared Bernhardt against Chris Gray. I think the Maryland defense is the best in the nation and they are able to keep UNC at bay. Rahil, Grill, Makar, Puglise, McNaney are too big defensively. The Terps are National Champs. Maryland 14, UNC 12

Sam Kuhn
Sam Kuhn

Lacrosse Analyst

Sam Kuhn currently is the graduate assistant for the men’s lacrosse program at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio and is working to complete his Masters of Business Administration in 2020. Sam graduated from the College of Wooster in 2018, where he received his Bachelors Degree in English and played lacrosse as well. In his four years, Sam was a two time All-NCAC selection, a first team All-Region selection in 2018, and surpassed 100 goals for his career, one of seven members in program history to do so. Sam has interned with Inside Lacrosse, and wrote for the sports section of The Wooster Voice.

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