The NCAA on Thursday announced that it has rejected Jim Boeheim’s appeal of his nine game suspension following its lengthy investigation into Syracuse athletics that was released last March, but ruled that the SU coach can begin the suspension immediately.
That means Boeheim will not be on the sideline Saturday when the Orange resume their longtime rivalry with Georgetown at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (1:00 ET / FOX), and will miss the subsequent eight games before the Orange host North Carolina on Jan. 9.
Assistant coach, and Boeheim successor, Mike Hopkins will make his interim head coaching debut against the Hoyas, as SU meets its one time fierce Big East rival for the first time since 2013.
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In a statement released by Boeheim’s legal counsel, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, the SU coach again took issue with the NCAA’s action.
“Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed with the NCAA infractions Appeal Committee’s decision, and in particular, the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee giving us only two days to make this transition when the appeal was argued weeks ago,” Boeheim said.
“However, I have full faith in the ability of Coach Hopkins, my staff, and our seniors to lead the Men’s Basketball Program through this difficult time, and I look forward to returning to the bench on January 9 against the University of North Carolina.”
SU is now 6-1 after dropping its first game of the season 66-58 in overtime against Wisconsin Wednesday in the Dome.
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