2019 #BIGEASTmlax Championship Kicks Off Thursday Afternoon
DENVER, Colo. – NCAA Tournament berths are the storyline for the week as the 2019 BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Championship Presented by Jeep starts up in Denver, Colo., on May 2. The semifinals, which start at 4:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m ET will air on CBS Sports Network with Ben Holden on play-by-play and Steve Panarelli as the analyst. No. 2 Georgetown, the defending tournament champion, squares off against No. 3 Providence in the first semifinal. Host, and No. 1 seed Denver will play fourth-seeded Villanova in the nightcap.
The winners of the semifinals will face off in the final which will air on CBSSN on Saturday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m. MT/4:30 p.m. ET. The BIG EAST Champion will earn the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Last season, Georgetown became just the fourth team to win the BIG EAST Championship title. Only three other schools have done so previously: Syracuse (2012, 2013), Denver (2014, 2015) and Marquette (2016, 2017). For the past three years, the BIG EAST has sent at least two teams to the Big Dance. Last year, along with Georgetown, Denver and Villanova represented the league as at-large selections.
The BIG EAST tournament is back in Denver for the second time. It was at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium in 2016 as well. The tournament has only been held at two other locations: Villanova (2012-15, 2018) and Providence (2017).
Semifinal 1: No. 3 Providence vs. No. 2 Georgetown
4:30 p.m. MT (6:30 p.m. ET)/CBSSN
Live Stats
In The BIG EAST Championship: First meeting
2019 Regular-Season: Georgetown won, 17-15 (April 6).
Georgetown enters Thursday’s game on a three-game winning streak and a No. 17 national ranking. Providence is coming off a come-from-behind OT victory over Villanova to end the season. Georgetown defeated Providence, 17-15 in their meeting earlier this season. The Hoyas come back from a 9-5 deficit at halftime to secure the victory with an 8-2 offensive explosion in the third quarter. The Hoyas and Friars have never met in the championship. It is Providence’s third appearance in the tournament. The Friars were runners up in 2017, but lost in the semifinals to Denver in 2016. Thursday is Georgetown’s fourth appearance. The Hoyas were runners up in 2015, champions in 2018. Both Georgetown and Providence finished 3-2 in league play.
Semifinal 2: No. 4 Villanova at No. 1 Denver
7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET)/CBSSN
Live Stats
In The BIG EAST Championship: Denver leads the series, 2-0. Last meeting 2015 Semifinals, Denver won 16-9.
2019 Regular-Season: Villanova defeated No. 10/13 Denver, 12-11 (April 6).
Denver is the top seed in the league tournament for the sixth consecutive season. The Pioneers finished 4-1 after defeating Marquette, 9-8, in the final regular season game of the season. Denver enters the game on a four-game winning streak. The Pioneers’ last loss was on April 6, 12-11, at home to Villanova. The Wildcats were the first league team to defeat the Pioneers during regular season action. Villanova is the tournament’s most experienced team having never missed a championship in eight years. VU is 2-8 overall and finished runner-up in 2013 and 2014. The Wildcats and Pioneers have faced off twice before in the conference tournament, with Denver winning those two meetings (2014, 2015). Denver is 6-3 in the BIG EAST championship. The Pios have two championship titles (2014, 2015) and two runner-up finishes (2016, 2017).
BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Championship Presented by Jeep
Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium
Denver, Colo.
Semifinals - Thursday, May 2
No. 3 Providence vs. No. 2 Georgetown, 6:30 p.m. ^
No. 4 Villanova at No. 1 Denver, 9 p.m. ^
Final – Saturday, May 4
Semifinal Winners, 4:30 p.m. ^
All Times Eastern
^ CBSSN