When the NCAA Tournament’s field of 68 teams came out on Selection Sunday, everyone agreed: Syracuse didn’t belong.
Where was Monmouth? St. Bonaventure? St. Mary’s? Valparaiso?
Instead of rewarding mid-majors for taking on big dogs and beating them, the committee threw the Orange a bone. It factored in Jim Boeheim’s early-season suspension, which saw his team go 4-5 to start ACC play.
“We take that into consideration, just like we take into consideration the availability of players,” Selection Committee Chair Joe Castiglione said on ESPN’s Mike & Mike radio show. “We discuss that as a factor.