Talked with NCAA lacrosse committee chairman Tim Pavlechko, who said more than 40,000 tickets have been sold for this weekend's final four in the Boston area.

How many actually show --- thanks to the wonder of rising gas prices and other practical concerns --- is another matter.

But there's no question Syracuse and its caravan of fans traveling east will provide something of a bump when the ticket booths open tomorrow.

Foxborough might not set the records Philadelphia and Baltimore did, but it's safe to count on a large crowd --- which is exactly what the NCAA hoped for when it moved the final four into New England for the first time.

--- Patrick Stevens