SWC75
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(This will be the last show of the season.)
Jim Boeheim’s radio show is on Thursdays from 7-8 or 9PM on ESPN Radio in Syracuse, which is AM1200 or FM 97.7 on the dial. The show will likely start out on Zoom and not be at a local restaurant. The first hour, hosted by Matt Park, the Voice of the Orange, is on their general network. The second hour, which usually begins with the conference season, is hosted by Gomez, a local radio personality.
You can call into the show locally at 315-424-8599 or nationally at 1-888-746-2873. For Gomez’s portion, use 315-424-8599. Or you can submit questions from this page:
Submit a Question! - Syracuse University Athletics
Or on Twitter at mattpark1 or “askBoeheim”.
The show can be heard in Syracuse on FM 99.5. It’s sometime simulcast on AM 1200 or FM 97.7. You can also get it on: TuneIn | Free Internet Radio | Live News, Sports, Music, and Podcasts
I will be posting my rough transcript the night of the broadcast focusing on my questions, the team and their last and next games and then a second post the next day on other things that were discussed.
MY QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
“Coach, firstly I’d like to congratulate the team for their efforts this season. I know several players were hurting when we beat North Carolina and Clemson, two teams that had beaten us previously. There were grimaces on the faces of the players but smiles on the face of the fans. By the way, you went 13-1 in the Dome without the fans – do you still need us? Your team’s 15-8 record would be 20-11 over 31 games and that would be our best regular season record in in 7 years.
Since it’s the last show, I’ll try to shoe-horn in two final questions. The NIT has a great history and usually offers two games in the Dome and a Final Four in New York for Syracuse. This year they have cut the field in half and are holding it in Texas. Would we still be interested in going if we don’t make the NCAAs?
The biggest thing that happened to this team was Bourama’s injury. I think we could have been a Top 10 team with him. You’ve had to find ways to win without a true center. What will solve our center problems for next year: Improvement from returning players? A recruit from the high school or prep school ranks? Or someone from the transfer portal?”
COACH BOEHEIM
(I have, in some instances, put together statements from different parts of the broadcast on the same subject. The quotes may not be verbatim –they are from my scribbled notes. I have not knowingly changed the meaning. In recent years they have started out doing one hour shows and then shifted to two hour shows in January. When they do two hour shows. I might do two posts: one on the night of the broadcast on the issues directly relating to the team on the other the next days on other things that were talked about.)
Could we still play at game this weekend? JB: “It wouldn’t even be possible at this point. If they told us tomorrow we couldn’t play. Three games in five days of that magnitude. I just can’t ask it of the players. Not many players could play with a fractured finger like Marek. It’s just the tip of the finger but he uses his left hand and there’s always pain from it. Kadari’s knee is still bothering him. I didn’t think he could play last night. Quincy is still banged up. Buddy’s arm is sore. We needed this time.”
Nick from Syracuse said that we were a whole different team vs. Clemson “Wow! We played hard and everybody was getting shots off.” He said that he wants to see more of Edwards next year. JB: “I agree. He has tremendous potential. He’s working hard. When I say that he’s not ready it doesn’t mean he can’t play a little bit. Clemson went small so we did. He has trouble making the 25 foot move to the corner. Somebody said that I was waiting for Wilt Chamberlain to come along. I’m not waiting for Wilt. Baye Keita would be nice.”
About the UNC game: They are big and physical but don’t shoot it as well as they did in the past. All we had to worry about was that freshman #24, (Kerwin Walton). He didn’t get one until the end, (he was 1 for 10). We lost the rebound battle by 20 but it started 3-15 so we only lost it by 5, (8) after that. On offense we started moving around and getting handoffs, (which, of course, become screens). Alan had a tough game. Quincy really came on in the second half. They are a strong offensive team. Any time you hold them under 80 points you are doing a good job.
About the Clemson game: Nick Honor got five threes against us down there and none last night. They put four guys on the perimeter to shoot threes, 9and got 10 of them) but couldn’t get any offensive rebounds. Alan was really, really good. Quincy got a couple of big buckets. Joe was really solid, his best game in a while. This gives us two high quad 2 wins. There’s a difference between playing a team ranked in the 30’s and one ranked in the 50’s, (but will the committee see it?). We used to just look at top 50 wins.” Matt pointed out that they are now weighted for home, neutral and road games. “The quad thing turns it around. We have 4 top 50 wins with 1 quad 3 loss and nothing worse. That’s better than 3 quad 1 wins and 6 quad 2-3 losses.” Is your head spinning yet?
Matt said that “In the last 9 years Syracuse has been out-rebounded by 15 and still won the game twice.” Can the coach remember the other time that happened? I took a moment but he remember the 2018 win over Michigan State in the NCAAs and that was correct. (I wonder which one was 9 years ago?) Somebody figured out that if you get out-rebounded by 20 you have a 2.7% chance to win the game.
Michigan and Baylor were in action on the tube tonight. “Michigan is still good. Michigan State is 8-10 in the league. I don’t know about them….” (Michigan beat them 69-50.) Baylor is playing Oklahoma State. “Cade Cunningham is the best freshman in the country. He might be the bast player. He’ll be the first pick in the draft.” (Baylor beat his team 81-70 despite 24p 7r 4a).
The women’s team beat Boston College 67-61 in the ACCT despite the absence of Tiana Mangakahia. Jim thought she was out just for one game but Coach Q told Matt he doesn’t expect her to be able to play in the tournament. Hopefully here SU career isn’t quite over yet. “She’s a very competitive person and a great role model.”
Matt noted that the Clemson game was SU’s 600th Dome win. Except for Pittsburgh’s comeback, we would have our third perfect home season in the Dome. JB regretted that but said that we’ve also won a bunch of close games.
Michael in Charlotte, (Alsacs) called in and said that he thought Jim was very rude to Matthew Gutierrez. Michael thinks that everybody has a right to give opinions and that they are allowed to have one even if they aren’t an expert in the field. JB: “He’s 100% entitled to his opinion. Saying that we’d be 17-5 if I’d played Jesse or Kadari earlier without ever watching practice is a judgement of my coaching, not an opinion. I shouldn’t have said he was 5 foot 2. He called me a half hour ago to apologize. I’m now apologizing to him on the air as well. At this point, Michael’s phone call was cut off somehow. Matt said that he had a question on another subject and Jim said that “I didn’t want him to hang up. I hope he calls back.” (Wait ‘til next year!)
Dave in Minneapolis, who now lives in Boston, (shouldn’t he be “Dave in Boston”?), referred to my call of last week acknowledging the continuance of the streak of winning seasons, calling it “a barometer of success over a long period of time”. He noted the struggles of Mike Hopkins in Washington and wondered what advise Jim might have for Mike. “I talked to him about that earlier this year. He lost two NBA lottery picks and then lost his leading scorer do a disciplinary problem. He didn’t’ have anything to do with that. They are playing better. He’s just got to get through this as best he can, then get out and do some recruiting and rebuild the program. He’s a good young coach and will get them back to where they were soon.”
I called in my comments and questions. He thinks the NIT issue is “a good question. The Governor of Texas says people don’t have to wear a mask. That’s not a great look after all we’ve gone through. Football teams have opted out of bowl games. It’s been a hard, long, tough season, physically. I’ve always been in favor of going to the NIT, (if we can’t make the NCAAs) but this might be an exception. I don’t know…it’s being discussed. “
On where we will get our big men- or any men: “This is going to be the most dramatic changing of the guard season in history. You could have multiple guys leave from every program. I think Bourama can be healthy. I think he’s has already made his decision. He’s indicated he will come back if he can. We are doing research and treatments on his leg.” (So the issue with him is not getting paid or going to another school- he’s not sure he can play anymore.) Quincy could declare for the draft. Alan could try out for the pros. Guys who aren’t playing a lot could decide to go elsewhere. Everything is in flux.” I suggested it will be like having a poker hand and changing cards. Matt said that coach is “an old hand at poker”. (I hear he’s a regular at Turning Stone, so he might be good at this.) “Marek at first said that he’s not coming back. I haven’t talked to him about it but that could change. I think he’s thinking about it. They would not count against our scholarship limit” (So we could have 15 recruited players on next year’s roster?)
Josh in Boulder wondered if we could play Marek and Jesse in tandem “with three offensive guys”. JB: We played them together against North Carolina. But Alan and Quincy are so good. They are two of our best players. I’ve had assistant coaches in the past say we should play Jesse for 15 minutes. But that’s 15 minutes we’d have to take away from them – and that excludes Robert Braswell. We’ve got 120 minutes for 3 front court position. We want them, (Marek, Quincy and Alan) to each play 35 minutes with 10 for Braswell. There’s not as many minutes as some people think. People want to cut them back to 30 minutes but will that make us the best team? What if Alan isn’t in the game when he made those 3-4 threes in a row?
John in Liverpool said that “it’s been a crazy, crazy year. I got my shot so that next year we can get back to normal.” JB: “I got my shot, too.” John said that the national perception is that the ACC is down this year. What impact will that have on the NCAA committee? JB: “The reason is that we have no top ten teams. But the middle of the league is as good as it’s ever been – or better. Part of the reason is that the top teams are now in the middle. The bottom is weak.” (I hate having a weak bottom.) “Miami and BC have had injuries. Notre Dame and Wake Forest just haven’t got it going and Pitt is slumping. They are talking about putting in a big ten team with a losing record. Bubba Cunningham said that the ACC has never had a team with a winning record in the conference not get in, (I assume since the tournament went to 64 teams).
They will have 900 students for this weekend’s lacrosse game. JB: “In a 30,000 seat stadium. They will be 20 feet apart. And we couldn’t put 3,000 in there.” (JB makes judgements about politicians but he’s never been one.)
Jake in Syracuse jokingly said “This conference stinks- let’s go back to the Big East.” Matt and JB laughed. He then said that he’d heard that Joe Girard has “put on 20 pounds of muscle”. Has it slowed him down? JB: “I think it’s more like 10-15. I don’t think he’s slower. He is stronger.” (Thus the big rebound vs. UNC.) “he’s shown he can still have big games, 19 points in the second half vs. Clemson (first game), 23 points in another game. He just hasn’t been consistent. He lost confidence early in the year. He’s thinking about stuff. It’s unusual to have less confidence as a sophomore. He was thrust into a role as a freshman and did well. Psychologically, it’s not always good to have two guys who are equal- they both wind up thinking about it. You’ve got to be able to play so you can relax. We try to give Joe at least 8 minutes in a game. Joe’s helping us win games too. Our defense won the Clemson game, along with Alan getting hot. We’re one of few teams with 5 guys in double figures.” Matt pointed out that Notre Dame was another. Jim admitted that hasn’t been enough for them.
Matt in Connecticut was the final caller of the year. He likes Jim’s “great press conferences, like after the 1984 Georgetown game when he threw the chair or the GMAC one. “Keep being you”. He wondered what the perception of the Syracuse program is around the country based on what recruits say to Coach Boeheim. JB: “We get great responses. We are a highly regarded upper-echelon program. We get to the tournament. We play in sweet 16s and Final Fours. We get good players and play in a tough league….be careful what you wish for. It could be worse.”
And, with that, Thursday becomes just another night of the week…
Jim Boeheim’s radio show is on Thursdays from 7-8 or 9PM on ESPN Radio in Syracuse, which is AM1200 or FM 97.7 on the dial. The show will likely start out on Zoom and not be at a local restaurant. The first hour, hosted by Matt Park, the Voice of the Orange, is on their general network. The second hour, which usually begins with the conference season, is hosted by Gomez, a local radio personality.
You can call into the show locally at 315-424-8599 or nationally at 1-888-746-2873. For Gomez’s portion, use 315-424-8599. Or you can submit questions from this page:
Submit a Question! - Syracuse University Athletics
Or on Twitter at mattpark1 or “askBoeheim”.
The show can be heard in Syracuse on FM 99.5. It’s sometime simulcast on AM 1200 or FM 97.7. You can also get it on: TuneIn | Free Internet Radio | Live News, Sports, Music, and Podcasts
I will be posting my rough transcript the night of the broadcast focusing on my questions, the team and their last and next games and then a second post the next day on other things that were discussed.
MY QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
“Coach, firstly I’d like to congratulate the team for their efforts this season. I know several players were hurting when we beat North Carolina and Clemson, two teams that had beaten us previously. There were grimaces on the faces of the players but smiles on the face of the fans. By the way, you went 13-1 in the Dome without the fans – do you still need us? Your team’s 15-8 record would be 20-11 over 31 games and that would be our best regular season record in in 7 years.
Since it’s the last show, I’ll try to shoe-horn in two final questions. The NIT has a great history and usually offers two games in the Dome and a Final Four in New York for Syracuse. This year they have cut the field in half and are holding it in Texas. Would we still be interested in going if we don’t make the NCAAs?
The biggest thing that happened to this team was Bourama’s injury. I think we could have been a Top 10 team with him. You’ve had to find ways to win without a true center. What will solve our center problems for next year: Improvement from returning players? A recruit from the high school or prep school ranks? Or someone from the transfer portal?”
COACH BOEHEIM
(I have, in some instances, put together statements from different parts of the broadcast on the same subject. The quotes may not be verbatim –they are from my scribbled notes. I have not knowingly changed the meaning. In recent years they have started out doing one hour shows and then shifted to two hour shows in January. When they do two hour shows. I might do two posts: one on the night of the broadcast on the issues directly relating to the team on the other the next days on other things that were talked about.)
Could we still play at game this weekend? JB: “It wouldn’t even be possible at this point. If they told us tomorrow we couldn’t play. Three games in five days of that magnitude. I just can’t ask it of the players. Not many players could play with a fractured finger like Marek. It’s just the tip of the finger but he uses his left hand and there’s always pain from it. Kadari’s knee is still bothering him. I didn’t think he could play last night. Quincy is still banged up. Buddy’s arm is sore. We needed this time.”
Nick from Syracuse said that we were a whole different team vs. Clemson “Wow! We played hard and everybody was getting shots off.” He said that he wants to see more of Edwards next year. JB: “I agree. He has tremendous potential. He’s working hard. When I say that he’s not ready it doesn’t mean he can’t play a little bit. Clemson went small so we did. He has trouble making the 25 foot move to the corner. Somebody said that I was waiting for Wilt Chamberlain to come along. I’m not waiting for Wilt. Baye Keita would be nice.”
About the UNC game: They are big and physical but don’t shoot it as well as they did in the past. All we had to worry about was that freshman #24, (Kerwin Walton). He didn’t get one until the end, (he was 1 for 10). We lost the rebound battle by 20 but it started 3-15 so we only lost it by 5, (8) after that. On offense we started moving around and getting handoffs, (which, of course, become screens). Alan had a tough game. Quincy really came on in the second half. They are a strong offensive team. Any time you hold them under 80 points you are doing a good job.
About the Clemson game: Nick Honor got five threes against us down there and none last night. They put four guys on the perimeter to shoot threes, 9and got 10 of them) but couldn’t get any offensive rebounds. Alan was really, really good. Quincy got a couple of big buckets. Joe was really solid, his best game in a while. This gives us two high quad 2 wins. There’s a difference between playing a team ranked in the 30’s and one ranked in the 50’s, (but will the committee see it?). We used to just look at top 50 wins.” Matt pointed out that they are now weighted for home, neutral and road games. “The quad thing turns it around. We have 4 top 50 wins with 1 quad 3 loss and nothing worse. That’s better than 3 quad 1 wins and 6 quad 2-3 losses.” Is your head spinning yet?
Matt said that “In the last 9 years Syracuse has been out-rebounded by 15 and still won the game twice.” Can the coach remember the other time that happened? I took a moment but he remember the 2018 win over Michigan State in the NCAAs and that was correct. (I wonder which one was 9 years ago?) Somebody figured out that if you get out-rebounded by 20 you have a 2.7% chance to win the game.
Michigan and Baylor were in action on the tube tonight. “Michigan is still good. Michigan State is 8-10 in the league. I don’t know about them….” (Michigan beat them 69-50.) Baylor is playing Oklahoma State. “Cade Cunningham is the best freshman in the country. He might be the bast player. He’ll be the first pick in the draft.” (Baylor beat his team 81-70 despite 24p 7r 4a).
The women’s team beat Boston College 67-61 in the ACCT despite the absence of Tiana Mangakahia. Jim thought she was out just for one game but Coach Q told Matt he doesn’t expect her to be able to play in the tournament. Hopefully here SU career isn’t quite over yet. “She’s a very competitive person and a great role model.”
Matt noted that the Clemson game was SU’s 600th Dome win. Except for Pittsburgh’s comeback, we would have our third perfect home season in the Dome. JB regretted that but said that we’ve also won a bunch of close games.
Michael in Charlotte, (Alsacs) called in and said that he thought Jim was very rude to Matthew Gutierrez. Michael thinks that everybody has a right to give opinions and that they are allowed to have one even if they aren’t an expert in the field. JB: “He’s 100% entitled to his opinion. Saying that we’d be 17-5 if I’d played Jesse or Kadari earlier without ever watching practice is a judgement of my coaching, not an opinion. I shouldn’t have said he was 5 foot 2. He called me a half hour ago to apologize. I’m now apologizing to him on the air as well. At this point, Michael’s phone call was cut off somehow. Matt said that he had a question on another subject and Jim said that “I didn’t want him to hang up. I hope he calls back.” (Wait ‘til next year!)
Dave in Minneapolis, who now lives in Boston, (shouldn’t he be “Dave in Boston”?), referred to my call of last week acknowledging the continuance of the streak of winning seasons, calling it “a barometer of success over a long period of time”. He noted the struggles of Mike Hopkins in Washington and wondered what advise Jim might have for Mike. “I talked to him about that earlier this year. He lost two NBA lottery picks and then lost his leading scorer do a disciplinary problem. He didn’t’ have anything to do with that. They are playing better. He’s just got to get through this as best he can, then get out and do some recruiting and rebuild the program. He’s a good young coach and will get them back to where they were soon.”
I called in my comments and questions. He thinks the NIT issue is “a good question. The Governor of Texas says people don’t have to wear a mask. That’s not a great look after all we’ve gone through. Football teams have opted out of bowl games. It’s been a hard, long, tough season, physically. I’ve always been in favor of going to the NIT, (if we can’t make the NCAAs) but this might be an exception. I don’t know…it’s being discussed. “
On where we will get our big men- or any men: “This is going to be the most dramatic changing of the guard season in history. You could have multiple guys leave from every program. I think Bourama can be healthy. I think he’s has already made his decision. He’s indicated he will come back if he can. We are doing research and treatments on his leg.” (So the issue with him is not getting paid or going to another school- he’s not sure he can play anymore.) Quincy could declare for the draft. Alan could try out for the pros. Guys who aren’t playing a lot could decide to go elsewhere. Everything is in flux.” I suggested it will be like having a poker hand and changing cards. Matt said that coach is “an old hand at poker”. (I hear he’s a regular at Turning Stone, so he might be good at this.) “Marek at first said that he’s not coming back. I haven’t talked to him about it but that could change. I think he’s thinking about it. They would not count against our scholarship limit” (So we could have 15 recruited players on next year’s roster?)
Josh in Boulder wondered if we could play Marek and Jesse in tandem “with three offensive guys”. JB: We played them together against North Carolina. But Alan and Quincy are so good. They are two of our best players. I’ve had assistant coaches in the past say we should play Jesse for 15 minutes. But that’s 15 minutes we’d have to take away from them – and that excludes Robert Braswell. We’ve got 120 minutes for 3 front court position. We want them, (Marek, Quincy and Alan) to each play 35 minutes with 10 for Braswell. There’s not as many minutes as some people think. People want to cut them back to 30 minutes but will that make us the best team? What if Alan isn’t in the game when he made those 3-4 threes in a row?
John in Liverpool said that “it’s been a crazy, crazy year. I got my shot so that next year we can get back to normal.” JB: “I got my shot, too.” John said that the national perception is that the ACC is down this year. What impact will that have on the NCAA committee? JB: “The reason is that we have no top ten teams. But the middle of the league is as good as it’s ever been – or better. Part of the reason is that the top teams are now in the middle. The bottom is weak.” (I hate having a weak bottom.) “Miami and BC have had injuries. Notre Dame and Wake Forest just haven’t got it going and Pitt is slumping. They are talking about putting in a big ten team with a losing record. Bubba Cunningham said that the ACC has never had a team with a winning record in the conference not get in, (I assume since the tournament went to 64 teams).
They will have 900 students for this weekend’s lacrosse game. JB: “In a 30,000 seat stadium. They will be 20 feet apart. And we couldn’t put 3,000 in there.” (JB makes judgements about politicians but he’s never been one.)
Jake in Syracuse jokingly said “This conference stinks- let’s go back to the Big East.” Matt and JB laughed. He then said that he’d heard that Joe Girard has “put on 20 pounds of muscle”. Has it slowed him down? JB: “I think it’s more like 10-15. I don’t think he’s slower. He is stronger.” (Thus the big rebound vs. UNC.) “he’s shown he can still have big games, 19 points in the second half vs. Clemson (first game), 23 points in another game. He just hasn’t been consistent. He lost confidence early in the year. He’s thinking about stuff. It’s unusual to have less confidence as a sophomore. He was thrust into a role as a freshman and did well. Psychologically, it’s not always good to have two guys who are equal- they both wind up thinking about it. You’ve got to be able to play so you can relax. We try to give Joe at least 8 minutes in a game. Joe’s helping us win games too. Our defense won the Clemson game, along with Alan getting hot. We’re one of few teams with 5 guys in double figures.” Matt pointed out that Notre Dame was another. Jim admitted that hasn’t been enough for them.
Matt in Connecticut was the final caller of the year. He likes Jim’s “great press conferences, like after the 1984 Georgetown game when he threw the chair or the GMAC one. “Keep being you”. He wondered what the perception of the Syracuse program is around the country based on what recruits say to Coach Boeheim. JB: “We get great responses. We are a highly regarded upper-echelon program. We get to the tournament. We play in sweet 16s and Final Fours. We get good players and play in a tough league….be careful what you wish for. It could be worse.”
And, with that, Thursday becomes just another night of the week…
