M Lacrosse Wins B1G, Draws #5 Denver, Women Face Mercer In NCAAs

Submitted by L'Carpetron Do… on May 5th, 2024 at 10:32 PM

BACK-TO-BACK LIKE I’M ON THE COVER OF LETHAL WEAPON. BACK-TO-BACK LIKE JORDAN-PIPPEN 96-97.

For the second straight year, Michigan rope-a-doped the entire Big Ten and all of college lacrosse into thinking they were a middling team on the fringes of NCAA tournament territory And then at the last minute - WHAM- they decked everyone to claim a spot in the NCAA tournament. Michigan kept up the ruse so long that they went into the 2nd quarter of the Big Ten tournament semifinals - a competition they needed to win to qualify for the NCAA tournament - trailing 6-1. Michigan spotted Johns Hopkins - the premier program in the sport’s collegiate history and ranked #2 in the country - a 6-1 lead in the first quarter before saying SIKE!!! - and ran the Jays off the field. And they continued that dominance against the Nittany Lions. Since the 1st quarter of the B1G semifinals, Michigan has outscored their opponents (both top 10 teams capable of winning the national championship) by a score of 25-5. For the lacrosse uninitiated, that’s quite good. 

So I’m glad to report that Re:TourneyQuest: Return To The Tourney, Part II: The Sequel actually happened!! SHE LIVES!!  So many times this season it seemed like Michigan was dead in the water and yet here we are. My question is: Is this team just better with its back against the wall? Or are they extreme last-second- late bloomers?

For the second straight year, Michigan won consecutive games against their Buckeye rivals. And for the second straight year, they knocked off the best team in the B1G in the semis and then annihilated their opponent in the championship game.  And for the second straight year, Michigan is the hottest team in the country going into the NCAA tournament and no one wants to see them on the opposite seed line.

For the loyal band of sickos who watched this team closely all season I say: Congratulations!  Now, it’s about to get fun.

Michigan draws the #5 seed Denver Pioneers(11-3) and will play Saturday at 5PM.  Michigan's women's team had an excellent season but weren't awarded a national seed unfortunately (shocking considering they went 14-3 and were close to being #1 just a few weeks ago).  They face Mercer on Friday at 4PM (which might be at home but I'll find out more.

I'll try to scout Denver and post a preview this week!

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core42

May 5th, 2024 at 11:23 PM ^

The women's team is, indeed, 14-3 but are on a 2 game losing streak including getting bounced in their first game of the B1G Tourney so I am glad that they are in but that's why they didn't have seed number. 

I hate seeing BC in their bracket but they have a chance to make a serious run in this tourney because they are talented enough & if O'Grady gets hot in net she could be the difference in tight games.

For those of you that don't follow WLax the B1G is a good conference so they've had a tough schedule in getting to 14-3.  The B1G has 7 WLax teams in the conference & 5 of them made the 29 team (not a misprint) NCAA tourney field  

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Hensons Mobile…

May 5th, 2024 at 11:53 PM ^

Denver was top seed in the Big East and lost in their conference tournament to a decent but not great Villanova, who eventually lost to Georgetown. Hoyas with the AQ got an 8 seed.

Denver is good but with how Michigan played last weekend it’s winnable. UM won on the road in the first round last year against 8 seed Cornell.

A win over Denver would likely put us in the quarters against #4 Syracuse. I don’t remember if we’ve ever played Cuse, I don’t think so.  That would be fun.

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