Conference tournaments can make you or break you
In most cases, in most sports, conference tournament winners receive the automatic NCAA tournament bid, instead of awarding it to the regular-season champion. When these tournaments produce an upset champion, especially one that is unranked and would not otherwise qualify for the NCAAs, often the conference gets an extra team in the big show. The ranked teams and the new upset champion go. But in lacrosse, we have nine at-large spots and too many conferences to offer the same accommodation.
This weekend Colgate won the Patriot League tournament title, rolling past Navy and then Bucknell, who “upset” Army in their semifinal. Colgate was not going to the tournament without the title. Army and Navy were pretty assured of spots having tied for the conference regular-season title. Army holds the upper hand after ending a 13-game drought against their rival. Colgate and Bucknell would not have likely been in consideration for the at-large spots before this weekend. With the two conference tournament victories, Colgate reached out and took an at-large spot from someone. We won’t know the victim until next week, but it could well be Army or Navy.
Even Bucknell could now spell big trouble for both Army and Navy. With a 10-5 record, two wins over Army and a win over Ohio State, they have the victories. Their losses are a 4-3 overtime loss to Navy, twice to conference champion Colgate, No. 1 Duke and Penn State. Only the Penn State loss looks bad now. Otherwise, Bucknell trumps Army and maybe even Navy. I mean, how many bids can we count on being given to the conference after an upset champion shrinks the field for everyone?
Conference tournaments often offer the opportunity for redemption, like the Patriot did for Colgate. But sometimes a team neither needs nor really wants a second chance. Sometimes, perhaps half the time, a team is perfectly happy with the result of the first contest. That’s likely the case of Albany, who played Stony Brook this weekend in their regular-season finale, winning 10-7. Their reward -- they play Stony Brook next week again in the America East tournament. Stony Brook’s redemption could come very rapidly. Beating a team twice is always tough. Beating them twice in a week may prove even harder. But Albany will be fighting for their season, literally. With quality wins, showcasing the 10-2 victory over poll voter-darling Princeton, they might not need the tournament title to gain entry to the NCAAs. But they will need that seventh win in the tournament semifinals to go with the seven losses they have just to qualify for at-large consideration. Stony Brook, at 7-6, in my opinion, needs a win this weekend themselves for consideration.
COME JOIN US AT THE AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND AT UMBC!
Why wait for the NCAAs to start? Get into playoff lacrosse this weekend. Thursday at 4 p.m., Albany and Stony Brook will be playing for their lives and a chance to face this year’s surprise contender, UMBC. At 7:30, the high-flying Retrievers will have to hold off Ed Stevenson’s Binghamton squad, which specializes in defense and low scores. Come on out Thursday and Saturday for all the action.
America East Tournament at UMBC Stadium: Thursday, May 1
No. 2 Albany (7-7, 4-1) vs. No. 3 Stony Brook (7-6, 3-2) 4 p.m.
No. 1 UMBC (10-3, 5-0) vs. No. 4 Binghamton (4-7, 2-3) 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for the tournament are on sale now and available through the UMBC ticket office. All-session passes for adults are $15, while all-session tickets for youths 14 and under and America East students with a valid ID are $4. Individual tickets can be purchased for $8 for adults and $2 for youths and America East students.
Comments
Colgate went out and earned their birth. Say what you want about the AQ but, if US Lacrosse is serious about their mission to grow the reach of the sport this is a great victory for a team that has been on the door-step for three years.
Bucknell was ranked #9 as recently as last week before losing to Colgate in the regular season. Colgate went out and earned their birth. The CU regular season victory over Bucknell probably did more to unsettle the chances of Army & Navy than the tournament win but, both Colgate and Bucknell went out and scored huge semi-final victories over league favorites Army & Navy.
Colgate was on the bubble last year and probably should have made the tournament. Nagle has done a great job with that program and has them peaking at the right time. Their schedule is designed for a late spring run and that is what they have delivered for the last three seasons. Corp should be a player of the year candidate, Eck is one of the best face-off men in the country, Tim Harrington is an outstanding goalie out of MD power - Loyola High, and Lalli is an under-rated senior quarterback at the midfield. Colgate was snubbed a year ago and an undefeated Bucknell team suffered a similar fate in the late '90s before their was a conference tournament. Now that Navy & Army are on the outside looking in, there is unrest over the AQ.
Bottom line, it's good for the growth of the game and the Raiders took their destiny in their hands by proving it on the field and not in the selection room.
Now it is up to the selection committee to decide whether Bucknell, Army, or Navy makes the cut over a talented runner-up in the GWLL. .
Posted by: For the good of the game | April 28, 2008 9:59 PM
I don't think my version of "good for the game " is everyone else's incl. the NCAA. I watch games at Homewood, Geppi- Aikens and love the feel of the place. M & T Stadium doesn't do it for me.
Colgate in the dance is great for me,roll the dice. This isn't science but sport, let's have some fun.
Posted by: larry | April 29, 2008 10:20 AM