RALEIGH, N.C. – Syracuse Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim still hasn’t spoken publicly since the NCAA hit the school and his program with penalties for decade-long violations.
Boeheim skipped the postgame news conference after Saturday’s 71-57 season-ending loss at North Carolina State. He instead issued a statement – as he did Friday after the NCAA announced its ruling – saying he would “more fully comment” on NCAA issues in the future and wanted the focus on his players.
“I’m as proud of this team as any I have ever coached,” Boeheim said. “I think these players have done everything any and all of us could have asked them to do.”
Boeheim sent longtime assistant coach Mike Hopkins to answer questions about the game, while his players fielded questions from reporters in the visiting locker room. Hopkins said Boeheim didn’t want to have to repeatedly decline comment to questions about the NCAA case.
The school had previously announced a one-year postseason ban amid the ongoing case, meaning the trip to Raleigh would end Boeheim’s 39th season and keep the Orange out of next week’s ACC tournament in Greensboro.