NEW YORK — Following perhaps his team’s final game of the season, a fired-up Jim Boeheim went off on a number of topics, ranging from the location of the ACC Tournament to his team’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid.
After John Gillon missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds, Syracuse lose to Miami, 62-57, in the second round of the ACC Tournament at Barclays Center, leaving the Orange firmly on the bubble.
Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com told ZAGSBLOG that he has Syracuse out of the Big Dance with the loss. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi said on Twitter that Syracuse appeared to be out going into Selection Sunday a year ago, but ended up getting a bid and making the Final Four.
“I know our profile is better this year than it was last year in terms of top wins,” Boeheim said. “And I think the [NCAA Selection] Committee, from what I’ve gathered over my years, is looking for a team or teams that could win games in the Tournament. I think we can.
“I think to look today and say we lost to Miami. Well, Miami was Top 25 in the country last year….One game, that shouldn’t mean anything.”
Syracuse (18-14) fell to 2-11 away from the Carrier Dome, but Boeheim dismissed that, pointing to his team’s quality ACC wins.
“I don’t care where you play Duke and Florida State and Virginia, they beat a lot of people,” Boeheim said. “We’ll see what the Committee decides and move forward.”
Boeheim was asked his thoughts on the ACC Tournament moving to Brooklyn for this year and next and didn’t hold back.
“I think New York City’s a great venue for our tournament,” he said. “I think the big cities are where it should be played. I think it should be played here, Washington, Atlanta, that’s where the tournament should be played.
“I’m not gonna be around that much longer to care about it. But I think that’s where the value is. I think there’s a huge value in playing in those places. There’s no value to playing in Greensboro, none. It’s there because the league’s been there and the [ACC] office is there, they have 150 people at the ACC meetings. That’s why it’s there, it should not be there.”
He added: “You get in the media centers and recruiting centers. How many players do they have in Greensboro? I mean, New York, Washington, Atlanta, that’s where the media centers are. Madison Square Garden made the Big East Conference. There were a couple of other factors, but it made the Big East Conference.”
The City of Greensboro promptly chimed in on Twitter.
.@AdamZagoria @ACCSports We kindly disagree. But I guess you can lose in the 1st round anywhere. At least it’s a quick ride home.
— City of Greensboro (@greensborocity) March 8, 2017
Boeheim pointed out that college basketball is a “business” and that’s why the Big Ten Tournament will join the ACC and Big East in New York in 2018.
“I’m saying all these things and I don’t give a shit,” he said. “I’m just saying what’s right. That’s what’s right. Why do you think the Big Ten is coming to New York? It’s a business, a good business. You’re going to say it’s a business, well let’s start acting like it’s a business.”
Boeheim is slated to step down after the 2017-18 season but has hinted he could retire after this season. It remains unclear if Syracuse would accept an NIT bid this year.
Meantime, in a somber Syracuse locker room, the players were left wondering about what might come on Sunday.
“I have no idea,” said sophomore Tyler Lydon, a projected first-round NBA pick.
Said senior Tyler Roberson, whose career is coming to a close, “We just gotta wait.”
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