Game by game, round by round. Scores being reported at: http://www.upa.org/scores/tourn.cgi?div=127&id=4416
Saturday: Round 1
Harvard v. Brown-B - Harvard clamps down early, Brown-B almost loses their skivvies. Harvard wins 15-1
MIT v. Wesleyan - Wesleyan has had an up and down year, but MIT doesn't fluctuate as much on the whole. Wesleyan surprised a sleepy Williams last year in the first round, but eventually lost that game 17-16. MIT won Metro Boston last year and made it to the backdoor final, losing to Williams and Dartmouth, but beating RWU, Conn College, Tufts, and Harvard. They made life interesting for Tufts in Metro Boston Sectionals semifinals, but couldn't play for third, losing to BC. A tough decision to make here, but I'm guessing this goes down to 17-16 or 16-14, and it will be in Wesleyan's favor.
UMass v. UVM - An intrasectional matchup from WNE. UMass doesn't get embarrassed by an excited Team Chill to take the game 15-7.
Bowdoin v. Tufts - Tufts roars into the day 15-3.
Brown v. UMaine-Farmington - Farmington's got a good bunch of guys, but Brown won't let up this early in the tournament. 15-2 Brown.
Brandeis v. Williams - Williams' loss in the front-door final of WNE Sectionals drops them from a potential 1-seed to the 6-seed, but it doesn't mean they're not a 1-seed. Or that they didn't make it to Nationals last year. Frogger can't cross Route 2, and Williams takes it 15-9.
BC v. Amherst - BC's athleticism, big wins over the year, and close games against Harvard, MIT, and Tufts gives them the edge over Amherst, 15-6.
URI v. Dartmouth - URI's gotten better over the past few years, but the Pain Train rolls 15-5.
Saturday: Round 2
Frontdoor Bracket
Harvard v. Wesleyan - Harvard can't lose on Saturday, and Wesleyan doesn't have the ability to pick themselves off the floor after the grueling win over MIT in the first round. 15-7 Harvard.
UMass v. Tufts - As good as Tufts is, this is a game that UMass can win. If UMass ends up winning here, I think they're 3:1 odds to make it to a front-door finals spot (which would mean a semifinal win over Harvard, too). But since those odds don't kick in til the 3rd round, Tufts wins a closer-than-it-should-be game 15-11.
Brown v. Williams - Williams is 2-0 against Brown this year. Williams will be 3-0 against Brown this year. 15-13 Williams.
BC v. Dartmouth - The Pain Train chugs along, determined to make it to the finals (which would mean beating Williams in Round 3). Dartmouth overcomes a taller, more athletic, but less experienced BC team 15-10.
Backdoor Bracket
Brown-B v. MIT - MIT wins 15-5. Brown-B can't seem to make a dent.
UVM v. Bowdoin - A tough game, but a trip to Vegas and a good Yale Cup showing propel UVM to the win, 15-12.
UMaine-Farmington v. Brandeis - UMaine makes a run, but Brandeis keeps their Backdoor hopes alive, 14-12.
Amherst v. URI - I'm going to pick URI on this one 15-9. Don't ask me why. Sorry Amherst.
Saturday: Round 3:
Frontdoor Bracket
Harvard v. Tufts - A rematch of Metro Boston Finals. Harvard is focused, but in the end I don't think they can hold it together for a second time against an older, more mature Tufts team. This is all assuming that this game doesn't turn into a call-fest, but even then I think Tufts will pull it out. Tufts gets the trip to the finals, 15-13.
Williams v. Dartmouth - This game is the Backdoor Game-To-Go preview. You have my word. Williams wins this one 15-10, but not because Dartmouth didn't bust their asses to avenge last year's devastating home-turf loss to WUFO in the backdoor game-to-go.
Backdoor Bracket
MIT v. BC - A nice sectionals rematch, and BC wins it again, this time by a larger, 15-8 margin.
UVM v. Brown - Brown can't be counted out. Ever. Sorry UVM. 15-5 Brown.
Brandeis v. UMass - Brandeis beat UMass at Yale Cup, but that was Yale Cup. Can't trust those results too much. UMass 15-10.
URI v. Wesleyan - Wesleyan wins 15-6 over a tired URI.
13th-16th Bracket
Brown-B v. Bowdoin - Bowdoin doesn't let up on Brown-B, either. 15-6 Bowdoin.
Amherst v. UMaine-Farmington - UMaine's a good team, but can't replicate results time and time again. Amherst 15-6.
Saturday: Round 4
Backdoor Bracket
Brown v. BC - Brown can't be stopped. 15-8 over BC.
UMass v. Wesleyan - Here's where UMass faltered last year. Here's where they'll falter again this year. Wesleyan 15-13 in a really close game.
9th Place
MIT v. UVM - MIT pulls this out 15-8.
Brandeis v. URI - URI comes close, but will settle for T11. Brandeis, 15-12.
13th Place
Bowdoin v. Amherst - Bowdoin wins this one 15-6
15th Place
Brown-B v. UMaine-Farmington - UMaine takes this 15-11.
Sunday: Round 1
Backdoor Semis
Brown v. Harvard - Harvard almost lets this one go early, as Brown will take half around 8-5. Harvard stays patient and keeps hope alive, going on a strong 7 or 8 point run to win 15-10.
Wesleyan v. Dartmouth - Dartmouth won't let this one get out of hand. Pain Train rolls 15-8.
Sunday: Round 2
Frontdoor Finals
Tufts v. Williams - This game could definitely go either way, and I think Williams will keep things interesting like they did last year against Brown (while they didn't win, they did impress some folks), but Tufts is persistent, and their hard work during the season pays off. Tufts rushes back to campus to book the tickets to Natties with a score of 15-12.
Backdoor Finals
Harvard v. Dartmouth - Harvard is determined. Dartmouth is determined. Not sure who is actually more determined, but I think Dartmouth has fewer injuries and a bit more grit than Harvard, and they didn't have to play Brown in the semis. Dartmouth wins 15-11.
Backdoor Game-To-Go
Williams v. Dartmouth - This prediction is a tough one, as I have a soft spot in my heart for both of these teams. It was painful last year to see Dartmouth go home, but I wouldn't have rather seen any other team grab the second spot. This year is a closer game, and will be 16-14. Sorry Pain Train, but WUFO gets the second bid.
Predicted Final Standings:
1. Tufts
2. Williams
3. Dartmouth
4. Harvard
T5. Brown
T5. Wesleyan
T7. UMass
T7. BC
T9. MIT
T9. Brandeis
T11. UVM
T11. URI
13. Bowdoin
14. Amherst
15. UMaine-Farmington
16. Brown-B
Brian Abend
NE Open RC
