Jim Boeheim ripped the ACC for its “stupid” new schedule after his Syracuse Orange looked horrible in a disastrous season-opening loss to the Virginia Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
This season, the ACC expanded to a 20-game conference schedule, which includes two games in November. That meant Syracuse opened its season at home against the defending national champions. Things did not go well.
The Orange shot a horrific 23.6 percent in a 48-34 loss to Virginia. Their 34 points marked the lowest total ever under Boeheim.
After the game, Boeheim said beginning the season with a conference game was “stupid” and a “money grab.”
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim calls the idea of opening up the season with league games "stupid" and a "money grab."
— Josh Schafer (@Schafer_44) November 7, 2019
Even if the outcome is likely a big reason for his anger, it’s hard to disagree with Boeheim. Teams often begin the season with non-conference games. Some teams schedule tough opponents in non-conference games while others schedule easier opponents in order to figure their team and players out. In a sport like college basketball where there is so much turnover, it usually takes several games together before coaches and players figure out their optimal roles and rotations. Before, at least it wouldn’t cost a team a conference win to figure things out. In this case, it does now.
