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Well we are entering the final stretch of the lacrosse season, and the Atlantic Coast Conference post-season picture is starting to shake out. Let's take a look at all of the scenarios for Syracuse.
Current ACC Standings:
1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 3-0
2. North Carolina Tar Heels 2-0
3. Duke Blue Devils 1-2
4. Syracuse Orange 1-2
5. Virginia Cavaliers 0-3
Conference Games Left to Play
4/16 UNC @ Syracuse
4/17 Duke @ UVA
4/23 Notre Dame @ UNC
ACC Tie Breaker Rule
If teams end the regular season with the same records, the ACC first goes to a head-to-head tiebreaker, then to the record against higher seeded teams, and then to fewest goals allowed in conference play. Just for reference, as of right now the conference goals against stats look like this: Notre Dame 20 (3 ACC Games Played), UNC 24 (2 GP), Virginia 38 (3 GP), Duke 40 (3 GP), Syracuse 46 (3 GP).
Syracuse Seeding Scenarios
There are only two programs still in control of their own destiny for the top seed. Between UNC and Notre Dame, if either team wins out then that team would be guaranteed the #1 seed in the ACCT. The Orange are still eligible for the second, third, or fourth seeds in the ACC Tournament. SU could also miss out on the Tournament but would need to lose to UNC, UVA to beat Duke, and SU would have to have the most goals against in conference play as compared to the tied teams (Duke and UVA).
What I see happening is UNC beating Syracuse, Duke beating UVA, and Notre Dame beating UNC. If that situation occurs, then the conference standings would be: 1. Notre Dame, 2. UNC, T3. Duke (head-to-head advantage against SU), T3. Syracuse, and 5. Virginia. Keep in mind that the fifth team in the ACC standings would play the Brown Bears in the ACC-Brown Classic.
#1 Seed: Not possible
#2 Seed: Win versus UNC, Duke loss to UVA, UNC loss to Notre Dame
1. Notre Dame 4-0
2. Syracuse 2-2
3. North Carolina 2-2
4. Virginia 1-3
5. Duke 1-3
Win versus UNC, Duke win over UVA, UNC loss to Notre Dame, and SU with the fewest goals allowed in ACC play as compared to UNC and Duke.
1. Notre Dame 4-0
2. Syracuse 2-2
3. North Carolina 2-2 or Duke 2-2
4. Duke 2-2 or North Carolina 2-2
5. Virginia 0-4
#3 Seed: Win versus UNC, Duke loss to UVA, UNC win over Notre Dame
1. North Carolina 3-1
2. Notre Dame 3-1
3. Syracuse 2-2
4. Virginia 1-3
5. Duke 1-3
Win versus UNC, Duke win over UVA, UNC loss to Notre Dame, and SU with the second fewest goals allowed in ACC play as compared to UNC and Duke.
1. Notre Dame 4-0
2. North Carolina 2-2 or Duke 2-2
3. Syracuse 2-2
4. Duke 2-2 or North Carolina 2-2
5. Virginia 0-4
Loss to UNC, Duke loss to UVA, a UNC win or loss against Notre Dame, and SU with the fewest goals against in Conference play as compared to Duke and UVA
1. Notre Dame 4-0 or North Carolina 4-0
2. North Carolina 3-1 or Notre Dame 3-1
3. Syracuse 1-3
4. Duke 1-3 or Virginia 1-3
5. Virginia 1-3 or Duke 1-3
#4 Seed: Loss versus UNC, Duke win over UVA, UNC win or loss versus Notre Dame
1. Notre Dame 4-0 or North Carolina 4-0
2. North Carolina 3-1 or Notre Dame 3-1
3. Duke 2-2
4. Syracuse 1-3
5. Virginia 0-4
Win versus UNC, Duke win over UVA, UNC win over Notre Dame
1. North Carolina 3-1
2. Notre Dame 3-1
3. Duke 2-2
4. Syracuse 2-2
5. Virginia 0-4
Win versus UNC, Duke win over UVA, UNC loss to Notre Dame, and SU with the most goals allowed in ACC play as compared to UNC and Duke
1. Notre Dame 4-0
2. Duke 2-2 or North Carolina 2-2
3. North Carolina 2-2 or Duke 2-2
4. Syracuse 2-2
5. Virginia 0-4
Loss to UNC, Duke loss to UVA, a UNC win or loss against Notre Dame, and SU with the second fewest goals against in Conference play as compared to Duke and UVA
1. Notre Dame 4-0 or North Carolina 4-0
2. North Carolina 3-1 or Notre Dame 3-1
3. Duke 1-3 or Virginia 1-3
4. Syracuse 1-3
5. Virginia 1-3 or Duke 1-3
Fifth in ACC Standings: Loss to UNC, Duke loss to UVA, a UNC win or loss against Notre Dame, and SU with the most goals against in Conference play as compared to Duke and UVA
1. Notre Dame 4-0 or North Carolina 4-0
2. North Carolina 3-1 or Notre Dame 3-1
3. Duke 1-3 or Virginia 1-3
4. Virginia 1-3 or Duke 1-3
5. Syracuse 1-3
The Syracuse Orange will visit the Cornell Big Red on Tuesday at 7 PM. The game can be heard on TK99.