Here's how Brown men's lacrosse is preparing for their NCAA tourney showdown with Virginia
PROVIDENCE — The hype surrounding Saturday night’s faceoff at Stevenson-Pincince Field doesn’t replace the reality.
Brown is hosting Virginia in the men’s lacrosse NCAA Tournament. The Bears or Cavaliers will be quarterfinalists by the time it’s all over. Top seed Maryland could await on a neutral field at Ohio Stadium next weekend.
More: No. 8 Brown will face old coach Lars Tiffany in NCAA men's lacrosse tournament
That’s the black-and-white analysis. A decorated former coach returning to the East Side, the two-time defending champions, a first postseason berth for Brown since a Final Four run in 2016 — it's all window dressing. That’s been the approach adopted by the Bears as they enter their final preparations.
“It’s about the players on the field between those lines,” Brown coach Mike Daly said. “It’s not about the names on the jerseys or anything like that. It’s which team can play those 60 minutes and make more plays over those 60 minutes.
“That’s all we’re focused on.”
It’s probably just as well. Virginia would enjoy the psychological advantage otherwise. Lars Tiffany is an alum and the architect of that last deep tournament adventure at Brown. He left for a national power less than a month after the Bears were eliminated and presides over one of the bullies in the ACC.
“It was such an exciting team to watch,” said defender Luke Gaydos, who was recruited by Tiffany and honored his commitment to Daly. “Guys like Dylan Molloy, Larken Kemp, the long poles who could handle the ball in transition — it was just super-exciting. Always wanted to play at that level, at that speed.”
Daly was hired away from Tufts after capturing three Division III national titles and rolling up a 244-83 record in 18 seasons. His attacking style mirrored the high-octane methods Tiffany honed during his 10 years at Brown. The Bears secured a regular season Ivy League title in 2022, topping a conference that sent six of its eight teams to the NCAA field.
“The guys before us laid a good foundation — a good blueprint,” midfielder Ryan Aughavin said. “They made it easy on us.
“We have a lot of upperclassmen who play, a lot of guys who are confident in their abilities. That makes it easier on us and easy for coach.”
Brown (10-5) was upended by Penn in the conference tournament semifinals, suffering a 14-9 defeat on its home field last Friday. The Bears fell into a quick 5-0 hole and were running uphill the rest of the night. A strong crowd and comfortable atmosphere weren’t enough to help Brown rally, and some nervousness crept in awaiting the selection show two nights later.
“There were two or three plays we showed the team that could have flipped that game in our favor,” Daly said. “That’s always where our focus remains — on those two or three plays. We don’t know when they’re going to happen or when they’re going to be there.”
The Cavaliers (11-3) won their last three games and are left carrying the flag for the whole of their league. Virginia was the lone ACC team selected to the field and drawn against the No. 8 seed on the road. The Bears expect to give them a proper welcome for the 7:30 p.m. start, with a warm spring day of revelry in the parking lot and elsewhere on campus likely on tap.
“This field and environment last weekend – it was absolutely amazing to play,” Gaydos said. “The fans showed up. The student-athletes showed up.
“To play in a high-intensity environment like that is everything players like us dream of as young kids.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Brown men's lacrosse ready for NCAA tourney showdown with Virginia
