As usually is the case the with the unveiling of the NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse tournament field, there weren’t many surprises in the bracket. Most teams had their spots locked up welI before selection Sunday, and four teams are returning from the 2016 NCAA tournament.

That being said, there are certainly storylines to come out of this draw, namely from second-time tournament team Wingate, which took the No. 4 seed in the South after winning the SAC tournament.

This could be the most wide open field in many years, with Limestone and Le Moyne dominating recent tournaments. Let’s break it down.

The Favorite

Limestone

It’s easy to say that No. 1 Limestone is a favorite to win the tournament. The Saints have made it to three straight championship games and lost just one game this season. But this team is not dominating opponents like its predecessors. Plus, the field has improved.

Take fellow No. 1 seed Adelphi, for example. The Panthers scored some big wins this season, including ones over Le Moyne and Merrimack.

However, Le Moyne dominated Adelphi in the Northeast-10 title game, raising some big question heading into the NCAA tournament. The Dolphins certainly have a battle in the first round, but could make a run.

Let’s not forget a third-seeded Merrimack team that beat Limestone a couple weeks ago.

That makes four legitimate contenders in the field. Limestone, playing in its 18th straight NCAA tournament, still might be the overall favorite.

Last Team In

Wingate

It’s not that Wingate is a team undeserving of making the tournament, but it finished second in the SAC behind Lenoir-Rhyne. The conference tournament title most likely got the Bulldogs in.

First Team Out

Mercyhurst

It was a strong season for the Lakers, who sat in the top 10 of national rankings all season. Who knew that an April 9 loss to Wingate would come back to haunt Mercyhurst?

The Lakers may still have been in the field had they not lost the GMAC title game to Seton Hill.

NYIT also finished just outside the field, since it lost to Pace.

Toughest Draw

Merrimack

Really any team in the North could make the case for the toughest draw. If you had to pick one team, it’s Merrimack.

The Warriors were the No. 1 team in the Nike/US Lacrosse rankings just last week, but now will have to beat Le Moyne (which defeated them in the conference semifinals), then most likely Adelphi and then possibly Limestone to win it all. That’s a tough task.

Upset Alert

Tampa over Lenoir-Rhyne

Since the Merrimack/Le Moyne game is really a toss-up, it’s hard to say a Merrimack win would be an upset. Let’s go with the other 2-3 matchup, in the South.

Lenoir-Rhyne is a solid team, with just two losses this season. However, Tampa has been red hot since struggling early in the season. Andrew Kew could be a game-changer.

Revenge Fuel

Limestone

The Saints went for three straight titles last season, and fell to Le Moyne in the title game. That’s enough for some major motivation.

Players To Watch

Andrew Kew, Tampa: Kew broke the single-season Division II scoring record with 81 goals. He’s been on for the Spartans all season and is one of the major reasons they’re in the tournament.

Kevin Reisman, Limestone: We know all about how Reisman can change a game. He won 74.2 percent of his faceoffs and will be hard to beat this time around.

Charlie Bertrand, Merrimack: Bertrand burst onto the Division II scene with 65 points to lead Merrimack to the No. 3 seed. It will be fun to see what he can when it’s do-or-die.

Predictions

Final Four: Le Moyne over Adelphi, Limestone over Tampa

Final: Limestone over Le Moyne

After saying this is the most wide-open field in years, we could easily end up with the same two teams in the championship game.

The reason for Limestone is simple — it is by far the top team in the South.

Le Moyne, however, will have two challenges to get to the final. With their dominant win over Adelphi in the NE-10 final, the Dolphins could be peaking at the right time. Any of Adelphi-Le Moyne-Merrimack could make it to the final, but Le Moyne is playing better lacrosse at the moment.

Still, Limestone looks to be the most complete team in the field. However, the Saints held that distinction last season and lost in the title game.

Grading the Committee

B

The seeds went mostly as planned, but the argument could be made that Mercyhurst is the better overall team than Wingate. That head-to-head factor loomed large.