University of Michigan Makes First Ever Appearance in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse

The University of Michigan made history on Sunday, May 14, as the Wolverines ended their first ever appearance at an NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament in a win. Led by coach Kevin Conry, the team faced eighth-seeded Cornell and took the game to overtime, upsetting the Big Reds to secure a place in the second round.

Coming off the back of a major victory against Maryland in the Big Ten Championship, the Wolverines showed unparalleled strength and offensive acumen. The team’s win also meant they extended their winning streak this season. Wolverines have set up a second-round match against Duke.

Participating in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament for the first time was no mean feat but winning the first game against a top-10 seeded side was an even more remarkable achievement. Leading up to the NCAA Championship, Michigan faced quite stiff competition, defeating Ohio State, 2019 winner Penn State, and defending champion Maryland to emerge the 2023 Big Ten Championship winner.

Despite riding on the back of the Big Ten Championship to secure its slot at the NCAA tourney, the Wolverines were still underdogs against the Cornell Big Reds. The Connor Buczek-led Cornell lost to Yale at the semi-finals of the Ivy League Men’s Lacrosse Championship, but qualified as third-best as the league was able to secure that many bids to the NCAA. They, however, came into the tournament with an 11-3 record.

Michigan NCAA betting sites didn’t make the Wolverines’ betting odds exactly promising. DraftKings Sportsbook MI listed the Wolverines’ moneyline odds at +170 against Cornell. BetMGM and FanDuel Sportsbook Michigan listed the Wolverines moneyline at +175 and +180, respectively.

The spread odds were Michigan at +2.5 goals with -115 for BetMGM while DraftKings fixed the Wolverines at +2 with -115 odds. BetMGM Sportsbook MI further places Michigan as +2500 to win the NCAA championship.

Michigan defeated Cornell 15-14 in overtime to send the team to the quarter finals of the competition. Peter Thompson scored the 29th goal of the game to bring the match to sudden death. Michael Boehm also broke a school record by becoming the first Wolverine to score 44 goals in a single season.

Other goals in the match against Cornell came from Blake, Zawada, Kirst, Mully, and Aronson. Goalie Hunter Taylor who joined the team at the tail end of 2022 also made 16 fine stops to keep Michigan in the game through regulation time. He made 14 saves in the match against Maryland at the Big Ten final and has proven to be the most valuable freshman for Michigan throughout the season.

The Wolverines will now face number 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the quarter finals. Duke defeated Delaware 12-11 to secure their spot in the second round and will be competing for a semis spot against Michigan at half past noon on Saturday, May 20. The Blue Devils are favorites to win the competition, with Michigan sportsbooks placing them at +350 to emerge champions.

The Lions are up for an auspicious year as it has now been confirmed that they will play the first game of the 2023-24 season. Last season, the Detroit Lions played the last game, coming second to the Vikings in the NFC North standings. They will now take a trip to Kansas City for a season kickoff against the Chiefs later in September.

Season kickoffs are typically reserved for Super Bowl winners or the two best NFL teams. Commentators believe it’s an honor for the Lions to have the first kick of the season. Journalists all over Michigan also believe that playing the season’s first game will bring the Lions to a bigger audience and help revamp their image.

Michigan online sportsbooks are also poised to receive bets from players within state borders. Interestingly, the Detroit Lions have three more primetime games than they did last season, so bettors could enjoy more chances to wager. The Lions over/under odds at NFL betting apps for season wins is 9.5. They are also underdogs in five of their 17 season games, including their opening kickoff against the Chiefs.