Syracuse Self-Imposes Postseason Ban

Photo Credit: Kevin Hoffman – USA Today

Syracuse University has announced a self-imposed postseason ban on the men’s basketball team due to ongoing NCAA investigations that go back as far as 2007. The ban includes inability to participate in the NCAA Tournament, ACC Tournament, and NIT. Syracuse officials classified the ban as “a further means of past mistakes.”

“I am very disappointed that our basketball team will miss the opportunity to play in the post-season this year,” basketball coach Jim Boeheim said in the release. “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.”

In 2007, the University self-reported possible NCAA violations to the NCAA Committee of Infractions, and ongoing investigations had gone on for years, but died out in 2012. There were no punishments handed out to Syracuse and no current players are involved in these investigations. This is simply the college taking action and in some ways, manning up for past wrongdoings.

The Orange are currently 15-7 and 6-3 in ACC play. It seemed very unlikely that the Cuse were going to be one of the 64 selected to the Tournament, so in some ways this is a smart move by the New York-bound university.