Albany

University at Albany men's lacrosse coach Scott Marr said it's "a dream come true" that second-ranked Maryland is coming up to play the Great Danes at Casey Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Marr just wished the weather would cooperate.

Ninth-ranked UAlbany (3-1) will play host to the Terrapins (4-1) at 3 p.m. with the National Weather Service predicting a game-time temperature of 20 degrees and 21 mile-per-hour winds that will create a wind chill of 4 degrees.

Those conditions aren't conducive to a big fan turnout at what's supposed to be a local showcase for the sport between two top 10 programs at 8,500-seat Casey Stadium. The Great Danes are playing the match there instead of their usual home, John Fallon Field, which seats 2,500.

"It's not going to be pretty," Marr said Wednesday. "I think if we had a day like today, our crowd would be unbelievable, definitely. The weather, unfortunately, will hurt that. But you can't do anything about it."

Marr said he looked into moving the game to Sunday, but the elements won't be much better. Also, Maryland is flying up to the Capital Region, which would make it difficult for them to change travel plans, Marr said.

Marr said the Great Danes are used to practicing in tough conditions. Meanwhile, Maryland is coming off a 5-4 loss at current No. 1 Notre Dame on Saturday when the temperatures were in the 30s with high winds.

"The wind is the biggest thing," Marr said. "The cold is not the problem — it's the wind. The wind hurts you running, it hurts your hearing, the whole communication thing. It's tough. Then the wind goes through you. The cold isn't so bad, but the wind is the killer. We've just got to tough it out and just be mentally prepared for a tough day."

Putting the grim forecast aside, Marr said he's thrilled to get a visit from Maryland, the highest-ranked men's lacrosse team ever to visit UAlbany. The previous best was No. 5 Massachusetts on March 8, 2011. The Great Danes won that match 9-8.

While the Minutemen are a respected program, they can't match the tradition of Maryland. The Terrapins have reached the past two national championship games and have made 24 Final Four appearances. They've won a pair of national titles, in 1973 and 1975, with nine losses in the final since.

More Information UAlbany vs. Maryland When: 3 p.m. Saturday Where: Casey Stadium, Albany See More Collapse

Marr worked for the Terrapins as an assistant from 1995 to 2000, when he helped Maryland reach three NCAA finals. He left the program to become UAlbany's head coach 17 years ago.

"This is great," Marr said. "They're a storied program. For me personally, I coached there. For them to come up here is just a dream come true. We're getting a top five team to come to Albany. It's important for our program. It shows we're on the next level, and I'd love to get those guys out west to agree to come to us."

Marr was referring to Syracuse, a team the Danes have visited 15 straight times without a return trip. On the other hand, UAlbany only had to go to Maryland once, losing 10-7 in College Park last year.

Marr said he has a longtime friendship with Maryland head coach John Tillman, who doesn't mind taking his team on the road.

"He wants to put them in this situation where they're tested by weather and tested by elements and different environments. So good for him," Marr said. "He's not afraid to go on the road. Again, road trips are good for your team sometimes, and I think he feels that way."

The Terps are led by attackmen Matt Rambo and Colin Heacock, both of whom earned preseason all-America recognition.

msingelais@timesunion.com • 518-454-5509 • @MarkSingelais