Weekend One-Liners: What to Watch for in Men's Lacrosse

Duke and Notre Dame are leaving nothing to chance in 2023.

The college lacrosse goliaths whose exclusion from the NCAA tournament last year led to the latest calls for revisions to the selection process will meet Saturday as the top two teams in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Men’s Top 20.

The Blue Devils have won eight straight games, riding the Tewaaraton candidacy of Brennan O’Neill and their Kenny Brower-led defense to a No. 1 national ranking after defeating Virginia last week.

The Fighting Irish are right behind them at No. 2 and are coming off an impressive dismantling of Syracuse at the Dome. They also have a triple-overtime win over defending NCAA champion Maryland to their credit.

And who could forget the show these two teams put on last year in South Bend, when Notre Dame turned an 11-7 deficit into a 16-14 win and looked every bit the part of a team capable of making it to Memorial Day — only to get snubbed the next day?

“This is the year we’ll look back say it’s time to change the formula,” ESPN analyst Paul Carcaterra said as the selection show went off the air. “It’s time for reform.”

The last time Notre Dame offered free admission and food for a home game, the Fighting Irish football team showed up and Arlotta Stadium was an absolute scene. Expect a similar vibe Saturday, complete with a national TV audience and a postseason feel for a game between two teams that won’t be denied anything this year.

Here’s one sentence each on 10 games to watch this weekend. All times Eastern.

TV LISTINGS | NIKE/USA LACROSSE TOP 20

No. 18 Michigan (5-4, 1-1) at No. 13 Rutgers (7-3, 0-2) – Friday 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

Can the Wolverines beat another final four contender from their own conference after shocking Maryland 16-11 last week?

No. 3 Virginia (7-2, 1-1) at No. 11 North Carolina (7-3, 1-1) – Friday 6 p.m. (ACCN)

The Tar Heels have had 13 days to prepare for the Cavaliers and what DraftKings Sportsbook projects as one of the highest-scoring games (O/U 27.5) on the slate.

Navy (5-6, 2-2) at No. 10 Loyola (6-3, 3-1) – Friday 7 p.m. (CBSSN)

The Midshipmen have new life after knocking off BU but face an uphill battle against a Greyhounds defense that’s equal parts disciplined and disruptive.

No. 6 Maryland (6-3, 1-1) at No. 17 Ohio State (5-5, 1-1) – Friday 8 p.m. (BTN)

The Buckeyes are 5-1 at home and 0-4 away from Columbus, looking to rebound from a lopsided loss at Penn State against a Maryland team that won’t lack for focus following its loss to Michigan.

UMass (6-3, 1-0) at Richmond (5-4, 0-1) – Saturday 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+)

With four weeks left in the season, is there any clear favorite in the new Atlantic 10 conference?

Syracuse (6-5, 0-3) at No. 16 Princeton (4-4, 2-1) – Saturday 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

The historic college lacrosse heavyweights and dominant programs of the 1990s meet for the first time since 2013.

Vermont (5-4, 3-0) at Binghamton (7-2, 3-0) – Saturday 1 p.m. (ESPN+)

Enjoying their best season since 2017, the surprising Bearcats are averaging 14 goals per game with a more up-tempo approach and are one of three teams that are 3-0 in America East play.

UPSET WATCH

No. 8 Villanova (8-2, 1-0) at No. 19 Denver (4-4, 0-1) – Saturday 2 p.m. (DU)

It’s Bill Tierney Day at Barton Stadium, promising plenty of fanfare surrounding this Big East semifinal rematch.

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 1 Duke (10-1, 3-0) at No. 2 Notre Dame (7-1, 1-1) – Saturday 4 p.m. (ESPNU)

Brower vs. Kavanagh is one of several juicy matchups to watch, as the Blue Devils have held opponents to just 27.1-percent shooting this season.

No. 5 Johns Hopkins (9-3, 2-0) at No. 9 Penn State (6-3, 1-1) – Saturday 7 p.m. (BTN)

Depth, timely scoring and defense have driven the revival of a Blue Jays team that has won five straight and seven of its last eight.