Syracuse basketball cracked the top 25 in the polls this week for the first time all year at No. 14, but the Orange lost its first game of the season on Wednesday night at home against Wisconsin. While that loss is disappointing, the news on Thursday is even more disappointing, as head coach Jim Boeheim had his suspension upheld by the NCAA Infraction Appeals Committee, it announced via a public report.
Boeheim was initially suspended for nine games in March, but he was supposed to have to sit out nine conference games. The NCAA modified the suspension so that Boeheim could start serving the suspension immediately, although that will hardly ease Boeheim's mind. Boeheim was the first coach to ever be suspended based on the responsibility rule, as he was not directly named in any of the allegations against Syracuse, which included director of basketball operations Stan Kissel doing academic work for players including Fab Melo.
Syracuse's Senior Vice President for Public Affairs Kevin Quinn released a statement on the NCAA's decision.
"The Appeals Committee determined that the NCAA Committee on Infractions 'abused its discretion' by directing the suspension be served during conference play, because Coach Boeheim was not directly involved in the underlying violations of the case. The Appeals Committee determined the nine-game suspension may apply to non-conference games and be served immediately. The University is pleased the Appeals Committee recognized that the initial sanction imposed on Coach Boeheim was too harsh. Nevertheless, we supported Coach Boeheim's argument made during his hearing that any nine game suspension would be too severe based on previous cases, and his lack of involvement in the underlying conduct, which the Appeals Committee recognized," said Quinn, according to Chris Carlson of Syracuse.com.
The nine game suspension given to Boeheim was the longest ever given to a coach, although it has since been matched by SMU's Larry Brown, and the conference ban was unprecedented but has been changed. Every other coach who has ever been suspended by the NCAA before Boeheim was found to have violated rules; Boeheim was not found to have violated rules but is being punished under the new rule that says coaches are accountable for everything going on in their program.
About a week ago the NCAA made a ruling on the school's appeal of the sanctions levied against it, reducing the amount of scholarships the school was docked from 12 over four years to eight over four years. Syracuse, though, still did have to vacate 101 wins because they occurred while ineligible players were participating in games, according to the NCAA.
