Quint, entering the last week of the season many experts felt the Heels were on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Now after beating Notre Dame, they're not only off the bubble, but a top 8 seed hosting a first round game. I know Maryland and Villanova lost but that seems like a huge jump. Did the Irish victory really carry that much weight? Or were the Heels in a much stronger position than many thought. Thanks
Heels had a great SOS. I thought they'd get an 8 with a win, just suprised to see two ACC schools together.
I love LAX baby! I played defense in High School and Collegiate. Who has the best defense in the country?
Best defense: Syracuse, Notre Dame, Hopkins.
How do both UVA and UNV leapfrog the Terps in the seedings?
Terps had a low RPI going into the final weekend...and lost to Colgate. I'm not surprised they aren't seeded, I expected them to get sent to Denver.
Mr. Kessenich, does the Pride of Hofstra have a chance this weekend against your alma mater?
Yes. If they can win face-offs they can control the game. They need great goalie play and must out hustle JHU on ground balls and shoot a high percentage. They beat JHU last year.
is virginia vs bucknell a toss up game
I think UVA is a two goal favorite at home.
Whats your take on Virginia's chances?
Regardless of the Bratton drama...if they don't tighten up the defense they won't get very far in the bracket. That's the key. DEFENSE.
Which teams do you expect to see playing Memorial Day?
Right now I'm worried about round one -I see SU, Cornell and ND advancing this week.JHU, VA, Denver, Duke and MD are slight favorites this week.
Will Duke make it back to championship weekend?
One week at a time...I think they can score goals against Delaware...but remember the Hens beat VA in 2007 and gave UNC everything they could handle last May.
How big of a factor will the altitude be in Denver?
My research indicates that it's more of an issue in day three or four...and that for one event the altitude isn't as much of an issue...but I've played at Vail...and when your breath your mouth dries up and your lungs burn.
What first round matchup are you most excited to watch?
Va against Bucknell will be revealing. Bucknell toasted Colgate twice and Colgate beat MD...so that makes Bucknell a live team.I'm also thinking the JHU Hofstra game will be intense.The 8-9 game is a no brainer.And Denver hosting Nova...neither team has won a playoff game, so you don't know what to expect.
Which teams should be upset abuot being left out?
Any thoughts on the ECAC championship game? More of a letdown by Denver or just a great comeback effort by Fairfield?
I watched it last night. It was a little of both. Fairfield starting winning face-offs. Denver gave the ball away a few times...I think Denver looked really good when they were winning 80percent of the face-offs and getting the ball to Mark Matthews. That kid is very very legit.
What are the biggest surprises in the bracket?
Sending MD to UNC and sending Nova to Denver surprised me.
How does Maryland not get seeded after winning the ACC tourney. They should at least be hosting UNC
Recency means little. It's the overall body of work that is used in seeding.
The Heels have had an issue giving up leads late in game (Maryland, ND). Is that a by-product of youth, and not knowing how close, or holes defensively?
Youth and lack of depth have been the issues.
What does Duke have to do to make it back to Memorial Day Weekend?
Play better defense and make some saves.
Do you ever see a major professional league forming in the future?
Major League Lacrosse is entering their 11th season. Rise and shine.
Which team do you think has the biggest gripe for NOT getting into the tournament?
The bubble out teams were:ColgateUmassHarvardArmyYaleStony BrookNone really had a strong case.
What are the keys to the Heels taking the rubber match against the Terps this weekend?
Youngsters must perform.Shoot selection is key.Be multiple on defense with man and zone.Be fierce on ground balls.And face-offs determine tempo.
who do you think will take home the championship
The team who wins on Memorial Day.
Who do you think is the Best College Lacrosse Team in 2011?
Who can win it all?Many this year.But Cuse is the favorite, even though they lost at home to Cornell.
Where does Rob Pannell rank among the great players in Cornell history and those in college lacrosse the past deciade?
He is having a hall of fame season. His stats are better than a guy like Mikey Powell at Syracuse.82 pts.But all that matters right now is beating a dangerous Hartford team. Hartford has a great face-off man and will give Cornell fits if they can control the rock.
Do you see a point in the future where we'll see an expansion of the NCAA lax tournament?
No.A 16 team tourney is perfect for 61 teams in Division I.
With the NEC getting an auto bid next year, does that just mean we'll have one less at-large bid?
I believe that is correct....not sure of the formula that the NCAA uses...I think the max AQs would be 8, but not focused on that until 2012.
Which team do you think is playing the best headed into this weekend?
Cornell, Syracuse and Hopkins ride big wins streaks along with Bucknell and Denver.
Will we see any college lacrosse programs emerge nationally west of Denver? If so, who potentially can possibly fill this void?
USC - but it's tough to add a program when your closest home game is 1000 miles away.
What are your plans for tournament weekend? How excited are you to get this thing rolling?
I'm worried about this weeekend. I will be in the studio for two straight days. Watching and commenting on every game. Been watching a ton of film and trying to study the data.
Who's your pick for the Tewaaraton?
Rob Pannell. In a landslide.
All games this weekend are on the ESPN Networks, in HD. JHU Hofstra is on ESPN and MD UNC is on Espn2.Enjoy the games.I will be doing a chat all weekend long during the first round, so fire some good questions my way when the games start.