Some thoughts on Stony Brook and their schedule.

No one doubts that they are a very good team and you can debate whether their schedule helps or hurts them. Their conference play is not challenging because they play in a weak conference. That is not their fault. You play who you have to play. They can't change conferences due to other obligations to sports within the university. It is what it is.

Scheduling non-conference games is not easy. You don't pick up the phone and say "What are you doing on the first Saturday in March" to another coach. Believe it or not there is a cost measure (transportation, hotels, food, staff) that must be paid by the university and lacrosse spread sheets are pretty thin. Sometimes you get a non-conference commitment 2-3 years ahead of the game so you don't know how strong the team is you will be eventually playing.

Based on their high pre-season ranking and schedule it does not surprise me that Stony Brook is #1 and has a very good chance of maintaining that position for the rest of the season. The other teams ranked play each other and will incur losses. You play who you play. If you follow D1 mens basketball Gonzaga gets that rap sometimes. Just don't be surprised if Stony Brook gets a 4 seed when the tournament starts.