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[QUOTE="73CAV, post: 2069114, member: 3916"]
There are two aspects of this discussion that should be separated, IMO.  First, during the regular season, with three or four days between games, I don't think the short bench is an issue.  These are kids;  not middle-aged men.  They recover quickly.  Didn't Marquette have to dress one of their team managers one year under Al McGuire?  The downside of using the starters so much comes during the tournament, and not in the first game of the weekend.  It comes in the second game.  In the ACC Tournament, it is why the double bye is so important.  All of this is exacerbated by the difficulty of the first (or, earlier) game, and it is in the second half of the second game when fatigue can become an issue.  (And, just for the record, none of this has any bearing on Virginia's collapse against the Orange last spring.)

Finally, there is a tangential concern with the short bench.  Given the quality of ACC officiating, you never know when fouls are going to become a problem.  If there aren't enough quality subs available, this can become worrisome.  Player development is enhanced by game experience.  However, every coach addresses this in the way he sees fit, and certainly Boeheim's record would suggest he knows what he is doing.

Edit to add:  I think you'll have a small hint as to whether Syracuse's short bench is an issue, or not, when the second half of Monday night's game is under way.
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