Syracuse Lacrosse Faces Maryland in NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals

That headline was boring.  I promise to try better next time.  Wait, no I don't.  Just kidding.  Or am I?

Mark Dixon — former midfielder for Johns Hopkins University during their beautiful 13-year dead period where they failed to make a national championship game — floated a pretty interesting fact during the broadcast of the Syracuse-Siena game on Sunday:

• Since 1983, Syracuse hasn't lost an NCAA Tournament quarterfinal game.  In 2005, Syracuse lost in the first round to Massachusetts in Amherst.  In 2007, Syracuse failed to make the field.  In 2010, Army happened.  In every other opportunity to play in the quarterfinals since '83, the Orange has won.

With this knowledge, I am compelled to write a letter:

Dear May,

Your ownership as a month is now titled to Syracuse University lacrosse.  Please contact your attorney to ensure the appropriate transfer of authority. 

Doctor Daryl Gross is currently in negotiations to change your name to "NEW YORK'S COLLEGE MONTH OF ORANGE" or, as an alternative, to retire your status as a month so as to pay respect to your efforts in the past as a member of the Roman calendar. 

Accordingly, I anticipate your prompt assistance in this matter.

Always,

The Glaude

Anyway, Sunday is going to be a hell of a challenge to keep that quarterfinals streak — if you can call it a streak — going.  Syracuse is off to Foxborough, Massachusetts to tangle with a surging Maryland team.  The Terrapins are coming off an utter dismantling of North Carolina last weekend down in Chapel Hill and are a legitimate threat to make Memorial Monday. 

The teams will face-off at noon, and ESPNU has you covered if you're stuck watching it on television.

If you're looking for information on the game or Maryland as a team, you should probably check out the following links:

• Here's the profile I wrote about Maryland and here's a piece I wrote on Maryland's offense.
• As compliment on the Maryland offense piece that I wrote, here's a story from Dave Rahme on how Syracuse will deal with the Terrapins' pick-heavy offense.
• Here's what some opposing coaches had to say about Maryland.

Otherwise, after the jump, I'm going to give you some pro tips on traveling out to Foxborough for the double-dip at Gillette Stadium.

First of all, Foxborough is in the middle of nowhere.  It's not Boston and it's not Providence.  It is, in fact, a dump located between both and if it didn't exist your life would not change one bit.  Here's some advice to help make your journey to nowhere run smoothly:

• Get to Gillette Stadium early.  I'm serious.  The roads into and out of Gillette tend to get congested and, with large crowds expected for the games this weekend, it's better to travel the stupid limited-lane roads leading to the stadium nice and early.  With a noon face-off, I would suggest getting into Foxborough proper no later than 10:30. 
• There's a Bass Pro Shops on-site at Patriot Place.  So, just in case you forget bait, so as to fish in the non-existent fresh water lake on-site at Gillette, you're covered.
• There's lots and lots of room to tailgate at Gillette and you should take advantage of it. It can get windy out there in the middle of nowhere, so have all the necessary tools of the trade to weigh down your party tent.  No open fires are allowed, so it's probably best if you don't start a hobo trash fire.
• There is no doubt in my mind that you'll be able to get tickets on Sunday.  Don't get sucked into scalpers selling you anything above face value.  If you mill around until about 10 minutes before face-off you can probably get tickets for cheap from people looking to unload.  This isn't necessarily unique to Foxborough, but is somewhat commonplace for lacrosse games at bigger venues: I got tickets on the street for the 2006 Final Four (a drubbing Virginia put on Syracuse) down in Philadelphia for $10 from a guy outside the building.
• Getting out of Gillette can be a real pain in the ass.  I'd seriously consider doing a post-game 'gate to kill some time.
• I'm warning you right now — Your car, your grill, your chairs, you (as a person):  These are all things that children will target with their lacrosse balls.  There's a shallow gene pool out there, people; expect to drown in it a little bit.
• There's going to be a bunch of knuckleheads from the site and beyond making the trip to Foxborough.  Get chatty in the comments and try and coordinate a party. 

If you have anything more to add, you know what to do.