NCAA Lacrosse Final Four 2011, Duke Vs. Maryland: Third Times The Charm

It’s Memorial Day Weekend and if you’re a lacrosse fan, that means it’s your favorite time of year. The NCAA Lacrosse Final Four kicks off Saturday at 4 p.m. EST on ESPN2 as we whittle down the remaining squads to two for Monday’s National Championship. Virginia and Denver get things started at 4:00 p.m. EST in a match-up that pits old school vs. new school. After that, usual suspects Duke and Maryland square off at 6:30 p.m. EST.

For a long time, there was a hierarchy in college lacrosse. Syracuse, Princeton, Virginia, Johns Hopkins and Maryland were in the top level and everyone else was underneath them. Duke has spent a better portion of the last decade muscling its way into that group. They solidified their spot among them last year when they became the first school besides the aforementioned five to win a National Title since 1991.

The Blue Devils followed up their title campaign with a solid, if not spectacular, season. They finished the year 12-5 and earned a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament. That said, they were abysmal away from Durham, with all of their losses coming on the road or in a neutral location. That didn’t bode well for the tournament.

And yet, here they are, after defeating last year’s National runner-up Notre Dame in the quarters. They’ve done it with offensive efficiency.They don’t put a ton of shots on goal but they make the most of their attempts.

It might seem like Maryland is always in the Final Four but this is actually their first trip since 2006. That’s an eternity for a program like the Terps, who also hasn’t been to the title game since 1998 (or won it all since 1975).

In fact, they weren’t supposed to be here this year either. Unseeded heading into the tournament, the Terps (12-4) were aided greatly by the fact that they won the ACC Championship (over Duke, mind you). Maryland was otherwise not terribly impressive throughout the season, at least as far as elite programs are concerned.

They pulled off a shocking upset last week over No. 1 Syracuse in overtime and officially reclaimed their status among the elites. That they’ll have to beat the program that’s essentially replaced them in the NCAA Lax heirarchy to get to the title game makes a little too much sense.

If College Crosse sees an advantage for either team, it’s Maryland’s opportunity to take advantage of a suspect Duke defense:

This Blue Devils defense is not without flaws. They don’t do an especially elite job at marking off-ball movement (Duke is only 29th in defensive assist rate). This could play directly into Maryland’s hands, a team that thrives with the helper. The Blue Devils do an alright job at limiting the number of shots put on cage per defensive possession, but they have had a somewhat difficult time keeping the ball out of the back of the net: On the year, Duke is 24th in defensive effective shooting percentage. Maryland, in a foreboding confluence of circumstances, is one of the best shooting teams in the land with an offensive effective shooting percentage in the top-10 nationally.

This is the third meeting between the two schools this season. Duke won the first game 9-8 and Maryland won the rematch, 11-9.

For more on the Duke-Maryland game, check out College Crosse’s preview or check out Maryland blog Testudo Times for more on the Terrapins. And head on over there for their live GameThread to join in on the discussion as well as for more coverage of the 2011 NCAA Lacrosse Final Four.