Syracuse Orange News: Syracuse Men’s Basketball Issues Self-Imposed Postseason Ban
Syracuse Orange News: Men’s Basketball Team Issues Self-Imposed Postseason Ban
The 2014-2015 season has been an up and down one for the Syracuse Orange Men’s Basketball team, as they are currently 15-7 and unranked. The record is the least of their problems, as things are about to get worse for the program, as Syracuse announced Wednesday a self-imposed postseason ban for the 2015 season. The move is in response to an ongoing investigation by the NCAA into possible infractions the team has made in the past.
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The ban will keep this year’s Syracuse team out of the NCAA tournament, NIT and ACC Tournament. The only affect the Orange will have on the postseason is if there are tiebreakers for the ACC Tournament. Without Syracuse, the ACC Tournament will now feature 14 instead of 15 teams, as every team that finishes the season below Syracuse in the regular season standings will just move up one spot.
Head coach Jim Boeheim shared his feeling in a news release that was issued by the school, saying, “I am very disappointed that our basketball team will miss the opportunity to play in the postseason this year. However, I supported this decision and I believe the University is doing the right thing by acknowledging that past mistakes occurred. Our players have faced adversity and challenges before. I know they will rise to this challenge by keeping our program strong and continuing to make our University proud.”
This ban is coming from an investigation that was started by the school in 2007, when it self-reported potential violations in the athletic department in 2007, and it does include academics as well. On Wednesday, school officials said that none of the wrongdoing occurred after 2012. and that no member of the basketball team or any other current student athletes are involved.
The Orange’s captains, senior Rakeem Christmas and juniors Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije, said in a statement, “We are all tremendously disappointed that we are going to miss out on playing in the postseason based on issues that do not involve us. However, we support our school and this won’t change how hard we will continue to work in practice and in games.”
This is a huge blow to the players currently on the team, especially the seniors, as they have already been cleared of any wrongdoing but will suffer the consequences of poor decisions made by players and the department in years past. It is not fair for these players to be punished, but that is how the NCAA conducts business, and Syracuse is trying to save face for past poor decisions, hoping that there aren’t heavier actions taken against the school or program.
You have to feel bad for players like Christmas and fellow seniors Albert Nassar and Carter Sanderson will have their NCAA careers cut shorter than they should be.