You spent the better part of four months meticulously dissecting the 2012 college lacrosse season. You shouldn't stop now because cold turkey is a bad way to go through life, man. College Crosse is providing decompression snapshots of all 61 teams and their 2012 campaigns, mostly because everything needs a proper burial.
I. VITAL SIGNS
Team: Marist Red Foxes
2012 Record: 6-8 (3-3, MAAC)
2012 Strength of Schedule (Efficiency Margin): -1.21 (43)
2011 Strength of Schedule (Efficiency Margin): -3.02 (59)
Winning Percentage Change from 2011: -10.48%
2012 Efficiency Margin: -3.02 (40)
Efficiency Margin Change from 2011: -0.34
II. "ATTA BOY!" FACT
- Connor Rice continues to produce like an animal on the hunt. The soon-to-be senior finished the year ranked 33rd in the nation in points per offensive possession (adjusted for competition played) and 34th nationally in the Player Statistical Index for attack. While his production fell a bit from 2011 -- Rice finished the season ranked ninth in the country in points per offensive possession (adjusted for competition played) -- he was still (with Jack Doherty) the hub of an offense that needed him to generate on a game-in and game-out basis. Rice's exclusion from the All-MAAC first team is more a function of Danny Martinsen, Bryan Neufeld, and Simon Giourmetakis being a trio of goalie death rather than Rice being a noted tier below; the fact that Rice didn't even pull in Honorable Mention All-America honors is face-slap worthy.
III. "YOU'RE GROUNDED UNTIL YOU QUALIFY FOR THE AARP!" FACT
- As good as Rice and Doherty were in 2012, they didn't get enough opportunities to actually push the red button. On the year, Marist played at around a three possession deficit per 60 minutes of play, which is almost detestable considering what Rice and Doherty could do if given extra opportunities with the bean. The primary culprit here was the Red Foxes' inability to win at the dot, succeeding on only about 43 percent of their attempts (53rd nationally). Matt Dugan needs to have a stronger effort on the whistle if Marist hopes to maximize its strength -- its attack -- and try and limit exposure to its defense. (Turnovers were also an issue, but I'm going to vomit hot death if I write that anymore.)
IV. MR. FIX-IT HAS A ONE-FIX ENGAGEMENT, AND IT'S . . .
- Get the possession margin battle moving in the right direction, preferably with stronger play at the dot. Marist had six losses this past season by two goals or less (two coming in overtime). A few more offensive opportunities per game with better work on the whistle could help change the complexion of the Red Foxes' outcomes. (Better protection of the ball and limitation of turnovers wouldn't hurt all that much either.)