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May 3, 2023 — May Madness, broken down
Tomorrow in Berkeley, Calif. and Jacksonville, Fla., the conference tournament season continues apace after last weekend’s tremendous action in Charlotte to crown the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
This is our annual breakdown of Division I’s 15 conferences, using our usual metrics to try to figure out which teams — and how many — will make it out of the weekend. Here are the conferences in alphabetical order:
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Top seed: James Madison
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 2
Number of teams that should make the Tournament: 2
The skinny: I think James Madison and Florida will make the NCAA Tournament no matter what they do
AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE
Top seed: Albany
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 1
The skinny: This is a one-bid conference. Watch out for Binghamton; they are a spunky bunch
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
Champion: Boston College
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 5
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 6
The skinny: There are a lot of people looking to see whether Clemson, a first-year program, will be selected as an at-large team. It would be a great story, but I don’t think the Tigers have enough of a resume
ATLANTIC SUN CONFERENCE
Top seed: Liberty
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 2
The skinny: The ASun plays some pretty good lacrosse, and either Liberty or Jacksonville will be a tough out for any team in the first round of the Division I Tournament. It’s a shame that there’s only room for one conference team in the bracket
ATLANTIC 10
Top seed: Massachusetts
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 2
The skinny: It always seems as though whoever wins the A-10 always gives some opposing team in the national bracket absolute fits, and this year’s champion could do the same
BIG EAST
Top seed: Denver
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 2
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 2
The skinny: The media darling for this year is Denver University, a program which has flourished out West because of smart recruiting and great game play. Denver, a team without a 50-goal scorer, has been able to beat the likes of Boston College, Maryland, and Michigan thus far. Look also for Marquette, with a 15-2 record, to make the tournament as an at-large
BIG SOUTH
Top seed: Mercer
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 1
The skinny: The Mercer Bears are 15-2 on the season, but I’m not so sure they get into the tournament if they lose the title game
BIG TEN
Top seed: Northwestern
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 2
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 3
The skinny: Northwestern and second-seed Maryland are in the tournament no matter what happens. As for a third team? The only team you could make a case for is Michigan
COLONIAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Top seed: Stony Brook
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 2
The skinny: Stony Brook is a favorite to win the conference championship. Towson has lost three straight leading into this weekend and needs to win the tournament in order to make the field
IVY
Top seed: Pennsylvania
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 1
The skinny: Often, a second or even a third Ivy League team makes it into the NCAA bracket. However, Princeton, Harvard, and Yale found themselves in a three-way tie for second place in the league, tied at 4-3. Princeton must win the tournament in order to make the field as they are below .500 entering the weekend
METRO ATLANTIC
Top seed: Fairfield
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA Tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 1
The skinny: Fairfield went 7-1 in the conference this year; whoever wins the championship is likely to be on the road in the tournament, and even if the team wins, are likely to have a rough second-round game against a Top 5 opponent
MID-AMERICAN
Top seed: Robert Morris
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 1
The skinny: Robert Morris won the MAC championship in 2021 due to conference record, and made the NCAA Tournament, only to lose to Notre Dame. The Colonials are looking to have a better showing this year but will have tough competition in this single-elimination tournament
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
Top seed: Sacred Heart
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 1
The skinny: This may be a one-bid conference, but there are plenty of good coaches and players in the four qualified teams. Look especially for Long Island University, which has matured as a program after the merger with CW Post a few years ago
PAC-12 CONFERENCE
Top seed: Southern California
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA tournament: 1
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 2
The skinny: USC and Stanford split games the first two times they met this season. The third, which could come this weekend, is likely for their seasons. I cannot see a path for the losing team to be chosen as an at-large team
PATRIOT LEAGUE
Top seed: Loyola
Number of teams likely to make the NCAA tournament: 2
Number of teams that should make the tournament: 2
The skinny: If you ever wanted to see fire and competitiveness in the game of women’s lacrosse, the semifinal game between Army West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy should be a great one to watch. The game will take place tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. at the Ridley Family Complex at Loyola University. Go see it.
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