🔥 NCAA FINAL SCORE PREDICTIONS

Has Duke attackman Brennan O’Neill fulfilled his legacy?

No matter what he’s going down as one of the greatest college players of all time. He’s got the Tewaaraton, he’s got the MVP of Team USA, he’s got a bajillion goals and assists, too.

But when get O’Neill to open up, you realize he still wants more — an NCAA Championship, to be precise.

Just listen to what he says to Paul Carcaterra in the opening scene of THROUGH X…

Carcaterra: “You’re the closest thing I’ve seen to [Gary Gait].”

O’Neill: “Oh, that means a lot but…

“…you know…

“…has a couple more championships, so…”

O’Neill’s wry smile is almost imperceivable. He spins the ball in his stick and collects himself for yet another full-speed dodge against perhaps ESPN’s most vivacious TV Analyst.

This episode of THROUGH X is pure art. It’s the unfiltered look at O’Neill every lacrosse fan has wanted since he emerged as a middle school phenom. This isn’t your average interview; it’s a genuine glance into both the mindset AND the skillset of an athlete who only graces the sport once in a generation.

Please give us your feedback on O’Neill’s episode of THROUGH X by replying to this email!

💥 Notre Dame vs. Georgetown

When: Saturday, 12 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPNU

February 25 feels like a long time ago, but you can bet it’s still vivid inside the minds of the Fighting Irish. Georgetown went to South Bend and beat Notre Dame in overtime that day. If Notre Dame is going to get revenge in Round 2, they’ll need a bigger performance out of star attackman Pat Kavanagh. In their loss to the Hoyas earlier this year, freshman defender Ty Banks held Kavanagh to just one goal. Expect a lot more Kavanagh in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Prediction: Notre Dame 14, Georgetown 12

💥 Duke vs. Maryland

When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET
Watch: ESNPU

It’s been an up-and-down year for both of these squads — and yet here they are, one game away from Championship Weekend. This will be an epic head-coaching battle between Duke’s John Danowski and Maryland’s John Tillman. Will the Blue Devils offense be strong enough to overpower a disciplined Terps defense? All eyes will be on Brennan O’Neill (No. 1 pick in PLL Draft) in his one-on-one matchup with Ajax Zappitello (No. 3 pick in the PLL Draft).

Prediction: Duke 12, Maryland 8

💥 Syracuse vs. Denver

When: Sunday, 12 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPNU

Denver doesn’t have half the star-power as Syracuse on its roster, but first-year head coach Matt Brown has the Pioneers playing well as a team. Syracuse sophomore Joey Spallina will be under a ton of pressure in this game. Denver’s defensive game plan will be designed to bottle him up. The Pios can grind out a victory here, if they are able to neutralize Spallina and keep this game from turning into a shootout.

Prediction: Denver 11, Syracuse 10

💥 Hopkins vs. Virginia

When: Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPNU

When these two teams met back in March, Hopkins shocked Virginia on the road in Charlottesville. Since then, the Cavaliers have gone through the ACC gauntlet — and they are a much tougher team today because of it. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, don’t look as explosive on offense as they did earlier in the season. Although Hopkins is the higher ranked team here, it feels like the Hoos have the potential to run away with this one.

Prediction: Virginia 16, Hopkins 12

🐸 MPLS Episode 2

The Mitchell Pehlke Lacrosse Show is back this week with major improvements. We listened to fan requests and added graphics, highlights, a ticker and even a mailbag segment where the crew listens to voicemails.

Check it out:

In this episode, Mitch and the crew break down the NCAA Tournament and make their picks. They also interview both Johns Hopkins attackman Jacob Angelus and Texas (MCLA) midfielder Sterling Hupp, who was claimed by the Boston Cannons after the PLL Draft.