Weekend One-Liners: Northwestern-Maryland and More Conference Showdowns

Pity the conference reps, who may find themselves going deep into tiebreaker rules to determine seeding and who’s in and out of conference tournaments this year.

Perhaps they’ll understand a bit what it feels like to rank teams in 2024. Yet, teams can make gains — and perhaps spare conference reps the same game of Tetris we play with rankings — by taking care of business.

Many of this weekend’s games are of the conference variety, and many include renewed rivalries between perennial favorites. All times Eastern.

TV LISTINGS | USA LACROSSE TOP 20

No. 20 Ohio State (7-4) at Cincinnati (9-4) – Friday 1 p.m. (ESPN+)

It’s Rock ‘N Roll Day at Nippert Stadium in Cincy — but it was OSU that rocked the rankings when it nipped Penn State 9-8 last week.

No. 20 Duke (8-5) at No. 1 Notre Dame (10-2) – Saturday 1 p.m. (ACCNX)

Notre Dame will honor its super senior class that includes Jackie Wolak, Kasey Choma and Madison Ahern — all three of whom are more concerned with No. 1 at the end of the season.

No. 7 Michigan (12-1) at Penn State (7-5) – Saturday 1 p.m. (BTN+)

Both teams are 2-1 in a loaded Big Ten — this early-April game could have serious implications in a few weeks.

Dartmouth (6-4) at Brown (8-3) – Saturday 1 p.m. (ESPN+)

A pair of prospective Ancient Eight party-crashers lock horns. 

No. 2 Northwestern (10-2) at No. 6 Maryland (10-2) – Saturday 6 p.m. (Big Ten Network)

Old rivals collide in what will likely determine the top seed in the conference tournament (but who really knows this year). 

Temple (8-3) at No. 11 James Madison (9-3) –  Saturday 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

Temple challenged the Dukes – who rebounded from an uncharacteristic eight-goal loss to Hopkins with a win over Richmond on Wednesday — in a 10-8 loss last season.

No. 9 Johns Hopkins (9-3) at Rutgers (6-6) – Saturday 5 p.m. (BTN+)

Hopkins beat Ohio State by 10 and James Madison by eight — what’s in store at Rutgers?

Clemson (9-4) at No. 4 Boston College (11-2) – Sunday 12 p.m. (ACCNX)

The Eagles handed Yale its first loss of the season on Wednesday behind a masterful seven-point performance from Rachel Clark.

No. 5 Penn (8-2) at No. 15 Yale (8-1)  – Sunday 4 p.m. (ESPN+)

The top teams and defenses in the Ivies must rebound from midweek losses in what could be a preview of the conference title game.