The NCAA men’s and women’s lacrosse Division I Tournament semifinals begin Friday in Massachusetts, with eight teams vying for a pair of national championships.
Here’s this weekend’s schedule and how to watch the action.
How can I watch?
All of the games will air on ESPN networks.
The women’s semifinals Friday will both be broadcast on ESPNU, with ESPN2 the home for Saturday’s men’s semifinals. Both championship games get top billing on ESPN, with the women playing Sunday afternoon and the men competing for a championship on Memorial Day.
Women’s schedule
Friday
- No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Florida, 2 p.m. (ESPNU)
- No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Northwestern, 4:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
The second game will take place approximately 30 minutes after the end of the first game. Boston College took down Northwestern, 13-9, on Feb. 15. Florida and North Carolina also met earlier this season, with North Carolina winning, 14-9.
Broken records and good vibes as Northwestern advances to its 16th Final Four in women’s lacrosse
Sunday
- Title game, noon (ESPN)
The championship game is scheduled for noon, and it will air on ESPN. If seeding holds true, North Carolina would face Boston College in a rematch of the ACC Tournament final, which was won by the Tar Heels, 14-12. The teams also met in the regular season, with the Tar Heels narrowly winning, 12-11. A third matchup between the squads could generate similar drama.
Men’s schedule
Saturday
- No. 1 Cornell vs. No. 5 Penn State, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
- No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 6 Syracuse, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Each game will air on ESPN2, with Maryland starting its game roughly 30 minutes after Cornell-Penn State concludes. The Terrapins beat Syracuse, 11-7, earlier this season on Feb. 15. Terps goalkeeper Logan McNaney racked up 12 saves in a stifling defensive performance.
Monday
- Title game, noon (ESPN)
Cornell and Maryland have not met this season, although the Terps and Nittany Lions played twice this year. Maryland won both of those Big Ten matchups.
Where are the games being played?
Both the men’s and women’s semifinal and championship matches will be held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The stadium is home to the NFL’s New England Patriots.
Gillette Stadium is scheduled to host the Final Four again in 2028.
What’s the weather look like?
According to the National Weather Service, Friday will be cloudy with a high near 56 degrees. Strong winds could be a factor, predicted at 8 to 11 mph with gusts as high as 23 mph. There’s also a chance of showers after 2 p.m., which is when the first women’s semifinal begins.
Saturday will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 59 degrees. There’s a chance of showers mainly between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., well before the first men’s semifinal starts.
For the championship games on Sunday and Monday, temperatures are expected in the 60s with no precipitation and light wind.
What are the betting odds?
North Carolina is the women’s betting favorite, holding -170 odds to win the national championship. Boston College is close behind with +230 odds. Northwestern is listed at +800, and Florida is the longshot of the group with +2000 odds to win the title.
UNC is favored by 5.5 goals over Florida in the semifinals, while Boston College is a 2.5-goal favorite over Northwestern in the other semifinal game.
On the men’s side, top-seeded Cornell is the national title favorite with +140 odds on FanDuel, which is one of the mobile sportsbooks legally available to Maryland residents. The Terps hold +240 odds to win the championship, with Syracuse (+370) and Penn State (+500) having longer odds.
Cornell is a 2.5-goal favorite over Penn State in the first semifinal game Saturday, and Maryland is a mere 1.5-goal favorite over Syracuse in the second game Saturday.
The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston gives the edge to both favorites in Saturday’s semifinal clashes.
