Hopkins, Navy, UMBC, Maryland in Men's Lacrosse NCAA Tournament

The selection committee has decided, and four teams from the state of Maryland will head to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament, Johns Hopkins, Navy, UMBC, and Maryland will compete. Loyola reportedly is the last team out of the equation.

With this tournament, the top-8 teams are seeded due to committee selections, then the other eight are filled in. Let's take a real early look at the first round matchups:

8-seed Johns Hopkins vs. Brown
Brown is a scrappy squad that recently defeated Cornell, the 5-seed of the tournament. They play nearly everyone close, and so does Hopkins, so this will be a close matchup that may go down to the wire. The Bears are 12-2 and led by Andrew Feinberg with 54 points including nine man-up goals. Homewood won't see many goals in its final game, but the offenses will both be tested.

Maryland vs. 7-seed Notre Dame
Well this is certainly the eye-opener. Not only is Notre Dame the last undefeated team in Division I, but this will be a homecoming for Will Yeatman, though I doubt he will enjoy it. The knock on the Fighting Irish is that they had a relatively easy schedule, but undefeated is undefeated. Five players have between 32 and 42 points and they only allow about six goals per game. This will be another close game, though Maryland is 9-6 they have taken many teams to the brink. Yeatman may not enjoy the homecoming, but this will be a big matchup to watch.

UMBC vs. 6-seed North Carolina
Don Zimmerman will go back to a place where he used to be an assistant. This is a great matchup for UMBC; their senior midfield against a backup goalie as UNC's Grant Zimmerman (no relation) is out with injury. The Tar Heels under new coach Joe Breschi are faster and more athletic. Sophomore Billy Bitter has 60 points and is a dangerous attack. This game may come down to time of possession, but both are strong and should be a good matchup.

Navy vs. 3-seed Duke
Navy will not enjoy this matchup; there was some talk about Duke being the one-seed of the tournament. Duke is led by Tewaaraton candidate Ned Crotty on offense, plus Max Quinzani. Navy is known for defense and Tommy Phelan and company will be tested against the strong offense. If the Mids can play their style, the game will be close, but it will be tough for them to compete.

Awaiting the Committee: Men's Lacrosse NCAA

Tonight the NCAA Tournament Committee will be releasing the men's lacrosse bracket for this year's contest. The state of Maryland will be well represented, however where will this year's teams land?
(all stats/games courtesy of Inside Lacrosse)

Johns Hopkins
The Blue Jays always have a strong schedule and do well enough to earn a seed in the tournament despite being independent, and this year should be no different. Currently at 9-4 with their biggest wins against the entire state of Maryland, this will likely mean a low seed. But that has never slowed down the Hop, as the postseason always is game time for Dave Pietramala's team.

This year has been like most years, a slow start with a rousing finish. After starting the season 3-4, they have won their last six contests including three ranked foes, Maryland, Loyola, and Navy. Kyle Wharton (pictured) has led the way with 31 goals including four game winners and Michael Gvozden has been strong in the cage as has been tested for tournament play, as five of their games have been within one goal.

UMBC Retrievers

UMBC survived two scares during the America East tournament, needing overtime to defeat Binghamton and later defeating Stony Brook, but nonetheless Don Zimmerman's squad is locked into the tournament with the automatic qualifier. The 12-3 team's biggest wins are against Maryland and Colgate, and probably will not earn a seed in the tournament.

The key to this team is the senior-filled first midfield, and the team needs them to play well. Kyle Wimer (pictured), Alex Hopmann, and Peet Poillon are the three leaders in scoring, all having above 35 points. If this unit can play well with Jeremy Blevins defending the cage, this team could surprise a few people. Add to the point that this squad has a number of starting seniors that will be playing their last tournament.

Navy Midshipmen

Any game with Navy will be a hard fight to the end. The Mids are 11-4, earning the Patriot League automatic qualifier with two one-goal wins. They have wins against Maryland, Colgate, and Bucknell to their resume. Richie Meade has a strong squad that has had eight games within one or two goals, but also probably will not earn a seed. But if Navy can win their first game, then their quarterfinal game will be a home game as the regional is at Navy.

Tommy Phelan (pictured) has stepped up his game lately in the cage, and the offense is balanced with five players scoring at least 20 points this year. Any game with Navy will be a close one, and Phelan will give the Mids a good chance.

Maryland Terrapins

It has been a rough year for the Terps, going from #3 preseason to 9-6 on the year, but at the very least they will get a chance in the tournament barring something strange from the committee. Their biggest wins are against North Carolina and Duke. Dave Cottle's team has a lot of talent and has made a number of big games close. Maryland will have to be happy with playing their first game on the road, something they haven't done since 2002.

Maryland has plenty of young talent in the attack core, led by Grant Catalino, Will Yeatman and Ryan Young (pictured), plus the two-goalie system of Brian Phipps and Jason Carter may be employed. It'll be rough for Maryland, but they have taken some strong teams to the brink, so their talent could be dangerous.

Both Towson and Loyola had chances to make the tournament, but they will likely not make the bracket. Towson lost in the CAA final to Villanova and Loyola needed a victory against Hopkins, but the Greyhounds fell in overtime. But the tournament will be a great one, and with four teams the state will have a good shot to get a team to the Final Four in Boston. The bracket will be released at 9:00 PM tonight.

(Photo credit: JHU athletics (Wharton), Inside Lacrosse (Wimer), Navy athletics (Phelan), Maryland athletics (Young))

Final Thoughts on Maryland Basketball

Maryland's run through the NCAA Tournament ended over the weekend after the Tigers completely dominated the Terps 89-70 in the NCAA Second Round in the Kansas City regional. Greivis Vasquez's comments on Memphis's conference came back to haunt him, as the Tigers took Maryland down easily. The 10-seed Maryland upset 7-seed California in the first round, but their run is over.

Looking back on this team, it is quite the story on how well these men played. Everything did not seem to look right for Maryland. They had no dominant front court, with their tallest starter being a 6'7'' player that was seemingly out-of-shape. Their leader was the target of everyone, including some of the home fans. The head coach was under attack from some fans and the media. The athletic director and coaching staff continued to fight. The Terps were picked to finish 11th in the conference. Losses to Morgan State and Virginia seemed to nullify wins against North Carolina and Michigan State. But through everything, this team made it to the NCAA Tournament and won a game, which is much farther than almost anyone had them going.

Dave Neal, a player widely considered a joke coming into the season, became an important leader on the court plus a credible player. His clutch three-point shooting and heart were invaluable. His basketball career might be over, but he stepped up when needed in his senior year.

Greivis Vasquez remained the leader of the team despite constant attacks from arrogant Maryland fans and the media. Though he was not perfect by any means, his play was key to Maryland's success. Without him, it is hard to imagine Maryland being competitive.

And Gary Williams is probably the best story of them all. Every year a number of people, coined Gary-haters, attack him for not being a good coach, apparently believing that 13 NCAA Tournaments out of 16 years is not enough and that we should be in the Sweet 16 every year. Even after winning a game in the Tournament and losing to a very high seeded team, they still call for his head. The athletic department and the media was on his back constantly. Through all of it, he kept his team motivated and backed up his players, and they in turn backed him up and turned the 08-09 year into a very successful one. Despite the problems the team had, the lack of size and consistent shooting, this team was turned into a very good one that could compete with the best. Not to mention winning the first round for the eighth straight opportunity.

I want to give congratulations to everyone in the Maryland basketball program for a great season. We will hopefully see you all next year.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

The First Round: Terps Take on California

10-seed Maryland is set to begin their NCAA Tournament with their first round match against 7-seed California today in Kansas City.

This will be a matchup of a lot of three-point shooting plus problematic front court play. Neither team has very good big men and rely on perimeter play for needed points.

They have one of the best three-point shooters in the country, Jerome Randle, who coming into this game is a 46.8% shooter beyond the arc. He is a 5'10'' guard who is speedy, and will be an interesting matchup with either Bowie or Vasquez. All the perimeter shooting will come from three people, Randle, Patrick Christopher (37.6%), and Theo Robertson (49.1%, 60 less shots than Randle), who combine for 408 of Cal's 468 three-point attempts this season. As a team they shoot 43.4%.

Their main big man is 6'8'' Jamal Boykin. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he is a Duke transfer. He averages nearly 9.6 points and 6.4 boards a contest. But like Maryland, they don't have many big men and do not rely on winning the boards.

So where does this leave the matchup? This game will be decided by the better perimeter defense. Both teams will expect big shooting from the other; Cal's trio of Randle, Christopher, and Robertson vs. Maryland's perimeter trio of Vasquez, Hayes, and Neal (yes, Neal). Teams hate to live and die by the three, but these teams are very similar in style of play.

Maryland fought hard to get here amist all the turmoil from critics and the media, but they are here now. Good luck to the Terrapins on Thursday.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

MARYLAND IS IN

The University of Maryland has made it to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid, getting the 10-seed in the West region, giving the Terps their second NCAA Tournament bid in the last three years. They will head to Kansas City to take on 7-seed California, and the winner will take on the victor of the 2-seed Memphis vs. Cal-State Northridge game.

Maryland was the third final at-large team taken plus the last team from the ACC to earn a bid. It took a strong ACC Tournament showing with two wins, including a win over Wake Forest, to push them into the tournament. When the first region came out, a number of people, including Gary Williams, were worried when they saw Arizona grab a 12-seed, as they were a team fighting for a final at-large bid. But the Terps got their spot in the next region.

This season has been a real tribute to Gary Williams and the poise of this team. So many times this team was counted out by media and fans. At the start of the season when the undersized lineup was shown, after getting upset by Morgan State, after Duke destroyed them in Durham, Vasquez's issues with the fans, after all of the problems between Gary and the athletic department, some fans calling for Gary's head, and after the Maryland loss to Virginia. But through all of that, this team fought hard and earned their bid despite their problems.

Congratulations to Maryland to making it to the NCAA Tournament, and from us here at ATH, we say good luck. Also congrats to Morgan State for their accomplishment in making the tournament as well.

Terps ACC Run Ends: Duke Defeats Maryland

Maryland's run in the tournament is over with their loss to Duke in the semifinals 67-61 on Saturday, the third time this season they fell to the Blue Devils. The Terps end their tournament with two wins and a loss, including a win over top-10 Wake Forest.

The Terps were close throughout, but fatigue caught up to them in the end. Maryland did not have much of an answer for Kyle Singler on the boards, who despites shooting 3-12 had a double double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jon Scheyer had the other big night with 22 points, going 4-10 from beyond the arc. In the end, Duke went to the free throw line more and converted those shots.

Eric Hayes had a monster night, hitting numerous shots towards the end of the game and keeping Maryland close, finishing with 20 points; 15 came in the second half. Greivis Vasquez ended with 14 points and six rebounds.

Now the question becomes, will the Terps make the NCAA Tournament? They did most of what was necessary, a convincing win over Wake Forest and getting to 20 wins, finishing 20-13, and not ending with a bad loss. They gained a lot of attention with that Wake win to add to their Michigan State and North Carolina wins. Some say the Terps are a lock, some are not sure. Regardless, we will not know for sure until the selection show. But Gary Williams and the Terps did what they could do to get themselves back on the map.

First Round Complete: Maryland Defeats NC State

A close game to the finish, 7-seed Maryland came out with the victory 74-69 over 10-seed NC State in the first round of the ACC Tournament. They advance to the second round where they will take on 2-seed Wake Forest on Friday.

The Wolfpack had an early 21-8 lead as Maryland's shots were not hitting at all. Key three-point shooting from Eric Hayes and Cliff Tucker put Maryland in the lead, but the teams went into the locker room tied at 29. After getting an early lead in the half, the two teams would go back and forth: between 12:23 and 3:54 no one had more than a two point lead. The Terps were helped by foul trouble to NC State's key players. After getting a four-point lead, Maryland kept the lead with Hayes's free throw shooting and never looked back.

Hayes ended with a career high 21 points on 5-6 three point-shooting, plus Greivis Vasquez got a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists. Dave Neal ended with 10 points, hitting his only two perimeter shots.

Maryland takes on Wake Forest next, a team ranked #9 and one that defeated Maryland just a few weeks ago. A number of NCAA bubble teams have been falling quick, including Providence and Miami, but Maryland at 19-12 still has work to do. If they lose to Wake, it is over.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

The ACC Tournament: Maryland's Last Chance

It is the final chance for Maryland to make their case for the NCAA, the ACC Tournament. Maryland as the 7-seed will take on 10-seed NC State, a team they defeated by 11 on the road (eight until the last shot), and the winner takes on 2-seed Wake Forest.

Maryland has won only one ACC Tournament game in the last four seasons, that being against Georgia Tech two years ago. It is consensus that the Terps probably need two wins to have a chance. They have gotten a little bit of help so far, including Miami getting defeated by Virginia Tech.

NC State is a 16-13 team that has lost three of their last four games. They shoot 38% from three-point range with their experienced guards Brandon Costner and Courtney Fells, and they do not have much size either, but a number of 6'9'' players will help. This will not be an easy game for Maryland, and things are not looking good after their loss to Virginia, but they still have a chance.

Game against NC State is tonight at 7:00.

(Photo credit: ACC)

Virginia Crashes Maryland's Party

Even after Maryland lost to Wake Forest, their resume still suggested they would make the tournament as long as they took care of business. But like last year, Virginia used their senior night to spoil Maryland's chances. They won 68-63 in Charlottesville, again putting Maryland in dire straits, now looking at their fourth NIT in five years.

The problems were obvious. The bench barely contributed. The three-point shooting was abysmal. They only went to the line six times while their opponents went 24. They could not take advantage of a team that had double their turnovers. Maryland did not make good decisions on the court in clutch time, which led to bad shooting.

But overall, Maryland had to win this game so their would not be many questions about the team and their NCAA resume, instead they pick up a huge loss to a now 10-17 team and must perform very well in the ACC Tournament, where they have not won a game in the last two years. Now at 18-12 and 7-9 in the conference, with their Michigan State and UNC wins hit hard by losses to Morgan State and Virginia, it will take a huge undertaking to convince the committee to put Maryland in.

This is typical of Maryland. They choose not to prepare enough for the lesser teams, and though they have gotten away with it a number of times, once in a while it bites them. Last year Ohio and American, this year Mongan State and Virginia. Sometimes losses happen, but the great teams rebound and get back into contention. Kansas lost to UMass earlier in the season, a terrible loss, but they have rebounded and are now #9 in the nation. But this is typical of Maryland football and basketball, they do not get ready for games they should win easily. Maryland wins today and they look good. They didn't, and now they look terrible. They had a good shot, and like the shooters in the Virginia game, they missed.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

The Road to the NCAA Tournament: Maryland

Maryland at 18-11 and 7-8 in the ACC is a bubble team that is currently a bubble team trying to get in to the NCAA tournament and avoid going to the NIT for the fourth time in five years. Although many analysts seem to believe that Maryland will get into the tournament, they need to take care of business before they can be sure.

The Terps have one regular season game left against Virginia and the ACC Tournament looming ahead, so they don't have much time to add to their resume. Let's take a look at Maryland's current resume (rankings as of March 3rd):

Maryland (18-11, 7-8 ACC)
SOS: 19
RPI: 57
Key wins: Michigan State, North Carolina
Wins against bubble teams: Virginia Tech, Miami, Michigan
Losses against bubble teams: Miami, Boston College, Georgetown
Key losses: Morgan State

Some things to think about:
--Virginia is a must-win.
Virginia has had a real down year, going only 9-17, losing 12 of their last 14 games. They literally have nothing more to play for, but they would love nothing more than to spoil's Maryland's party. The last thing Maryland needs to do a lose a terrible game this late in the season. Last year Maryland was faced with the same situation, a must-win in Virginia, and Sean Singletary and company beat the Terps down. The Terps can not have the same thing happen this year.

--A win might be necessary in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
Right now Maryland is looking at an seven or eight seed in the ACC Tournament. This could match them up against Virginia Tech or Miami in the first round, possibly NC State. This would be the perfect contest for Maryland, a bubble vs. bubble contest. If Maryland can win this it would give them a quality win plus put them (assuming a win over Virginia) at 20 wins on the season. Obviously two wins would be much better, but at the very least and realistically they need to win their first round.

--The ACC is a powerful conference.
This could be good or bad for Maryland. On the one hand, so many big time teams means that .500 in the conference looks very good. On the other, six teams are locks for the tournament and the Committee despite a weak mid-major field might be hesitant to take too many ACC squads. The Terps will still have to fight to prove themselves.

Right now, the Terps have their eyes set on Virginia. An uphill battle is still being fought, but the Terps still have a chance.

On a different note, it is reported by CollegeFootballTalk.com and ESPN that Florida State likely will been forced to forfeit most of its sports wins during the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons, including football. From the major sports this would include the 24-16 win over Maryland in football in 2007 and a 96-79 win over the Terps men's basketball team in January '07. But it will also impose infractions on Florida State, including the loss of scholarships.

(Photo credit: AP)