Utes win 18-8; Takes sole lead in the conference race!

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Utah’s 18-8 win over Robert Morris today put us solidly in control of the conference race.  In the ASUN Lacrosse Preseason poll, AFA and RMU were projected to be our biggest challengers to win the league, and having already beaten them both, the ASUN title is all but ours.

Up next:  @ Bellarmine

Technically, Bellarmine isn’t out of the title race.  If they win out (vs. Utah, @ Air Force), they’ll steal the #1 seed away from Utah in the conference tournament next month, but at 4-10 (.286), it’s very unlikely they’ll beat the 2 best teams in the league.  On the other hand, if Utah beats Bellarmine — as we should — we will have clinched the #1 seed.

Utah’s final regular season game will come the following week vs. Detroit Mercy in Salt Lake City.  Detroit Mercy (1-8) is the worst team in the conference.  We can phone that one in.

GO UTES!!!

[Ute2]

Had a chance to make it to this one.

Great D followed by ballin’ transition execution = blowout!

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Here’s some new updates for you…

1.  Last week, I’d predicted the 4 teams to make the conference tournament in Huntsville, AL would be Utah, AFA, RMU, and Bellarmine.  As of yesterday, Utah, AFA, and Bellarmine have locked up their spots.  RMU hadn’t done it yet, but that’s because Clev St and Det-Mrcy have both already lost 3 games, so if Bellarmine loses out, and CSU and DMU win out, they’ll finish in a 3-way tie for last place, and BU wins the head-to-head tiebreaker.  RMU still has to play Clev St, but you can pretty much bank on Utah getting the #1 seed, and Bellarmine getting the #4 seed.  AFA and RMU will face of this week, with the winner getting the higher seed, but as #2 will play #3, the outcome of that game really won’t make any difference.

2a.  The ASUN poached #8 Jacksonville and Mercer from the Southern Conference (SoCon).  This development will be effective the 2022-23 academic year.  We’ll also be adding Lindenwood from the D2 ranks.  Lindenwood has been a top D2 program, but I’m not too excited about their addition and wish it weren’t so.  Jacksonville on the other hand will be an outstanding addition, by really adding power to our league.  Mercer is pretty good too, but personally, I would have preferred adding Richmond.

2b.  VMI announced that they’ll be leaving the SoCon for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC, Det-Mrcy’s old conference), and Hampton will be leaving for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).  That whittles that league down to only Richmond (who I really, really, REALLY want to see in the ASUN) and High Point.  The NCAA minimum for autobids to the national tournament is 6 teams in a conference, so unless the SoCon can find 4 new members, they’ll be losing their autobid.  Adding 4 teams is a tall order.  The most likely course of action would be for Richmond and High Point to join other leagues.  And for the record, they’d both make great additions to the ASUN if we’d be willing to add them.  In 2022-23, the ASUN will have risen from 6 teams to 9.  Should we add Richmond and High Point, we’d be at 11.

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