Professional PLL
06:00 PM
Jul 19
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Welcome to the Gameday Guide.
Every weekend during the college lacrosse season, US Lacrosse Magazine staff will riff here on the juiciest matchups, trendiest topics, biggest storylines and hottest takes.
The final Big Ten of contest of the regular season is Saturday (Johns Hopkins at Michigan, 12 p.m. Eastern) and while teams in that conference have largely stated their case to the Selection Committee, other teams around the country are still in search of marquee wins to sneak into the NCAA tournament.
Several teams have that opportunity this weekend. Squads like Towson, Arizona State, Louisville, Elon and a few others could use key wins to boost their resumes, and they’ll have opportunities to do so in the coming days.
There’s always subjectivity when it comes to the Selection Committee, and without RPI as a trusted barometer this year, teams need to leave little doubt as to where they stand.
As always, check out our TV Listings page for the entire list of games coming up.
GAMES TO WATCH
All times Eastern
Day |
Time |
Away |
Home |
TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri | 4 p.m. | Towson | No. 13 Drexel | Dragons TV |
| Fri | 5 p.m. | No. 1 North Carolina | No. 7 Duke | ACCN Extra |
| Fri | 6 p.m. | USC | Arizona State | ASU Live Stream |
| Sat | 12 p.m. | No. 4 Boston College | No. 3 Syracuse | ACCN Extra |
| Sat | 12 p.m. | No. 15 Johns Hopkins | No. 20 Michigan | BTN+ |
| Sat | 1 p.m. | Louisville | No. 5 Notre Dame | ACCN Extra |
| Sat | 4 p.m. | No. 6 Stony Brook | Albany | AE.tv |
| Sat | 5 p.m. | Virginia Tech | No. 8 Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| Sun | 12 p.m. | UMass | Saint Joseph's | ESPN+ |
| Sun | 12 p.m. | Temple | Vanderbilt | YouTube |
| Sun | 2 p.m. | Elon | James Madison | JMU Sports View |
| Sun | 2 p.m. | Towson | Hofstra | Hofstra Live Stream |
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Boston College at No. 3 Syracuse
Did Thursday night’s game not reinforce this fact?
Boston College won a 14-13 thriller, and there’s plenty of reason to believe Saturday’s ACC battle at the Carrier Dome will be similar. Just read this recap from Thursday night to know why.
Game No One’s Talking About
Elon at James Madison
Way back on March 7, Elon topped its CAA rival 6-5. It was a result that came somewhat out of the blue. Elon has since only lost to Virginia Tech (an ACC team), while JMU has had a rollercoaster of a spring (though it’s been mostly positive).
It stands to reason that as weather has warmed, the offenses should fire up, too. Both teams need another signature win to boost their NCAA tournament resumes, and this game presents a great opportunity for both sides.
UPSET WATCH
Louisville at No. 5 Notre Dame
Louisville has been tough to pin down. The Cardinals, by many metrics, have taken a marked step forward in 2021. But a schedule of mostly ACC powerhouses has masked their overall growth.
A couple close encounters with top ACC teams (see: a 13-12 loss to Virginia and a 14-13 OT loss to Boston College) leaves the chance that Louisville can show up and clip Notre Dame in South Bend. The Irish won 15-10 the first time these teams met on March 21.
Under-the-Radar Stars
Mae McGlynn, Elon
The senior from Skaneateles, N.Y., has 25 goals and 18 assists for a team-high 43 points this season. She’s also playing defense, evidenced by her 14 ground balls and five caused turnovers.
Caitlyn Petro, UMass
Can the No. 1 draw control artist in the country be an under-the-radar star? Well, when you’re as dominant as Petro with as little recognition as she gets, the answer is a resounding yes. She’s won 13 draws per game for a surging UMass team.
Abbey Hurlbrink, Johns Hopkins
Hurlbrink scored the game-winning goal Thursday against Michigan in overtime. The freshman midfielder from Towson (Md.) has started all 11 games and scored 11 times for the upstart Blue Jays.
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