Jim Boeheim's son Buddy suspended 1 game for punching ACC tourney opponent
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim didn't seem to think much of his son Buddy's questionable play on Wednesday, but the ACC begged to differ.
The younger Boeheim saw widespread criticism during a second-round game of the ACC tournament after he was caught on replay hitting Florida State guard Wyatt Wilkes with a stealthy gut punch midway through the first half.
Better angle of the punch that Buddy Boeheim of Syracuse threw in today’s ACC tourney game against FSU. #ACCMBB pic.twitter.com/8ulUr2g01y
— Christopher Boan (@cgboan) March 9, 2022
No foul was called on the play, but Wilkes had to leave the game after doubling over in pain. He would eventually return after the under-4 timeout in the first half.
The play added injury to insult for the Seminoles, who eventually lost by a lopsided score of 96-57.
Hours after the game, the ACC announced that it was suspending Boeheim one game for what it deemed a "flagrant act." The suspension is ill-timed for Syracuse, as the Orange are scheduled to play No. 1 seed Duke on Thursday.
Buddy Boeheim suspended one game. pic.twitter.com/W0LSlPqFNB
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) March 9, 2022
Missing Boeheim is a massive loss for Syracuse, a team trying to avoid its first losing season in his father's career at Syracuse (not counting records affected by NCAA sanctions). The senior was a first-team All-ACC selection this season after averaging 19.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and shooting 34.1 percent from deep.
Jim Boeheim downplays son's punch
Jim Boeheim addressed the play after the game by downplaying the seriousness of the "inadvertent" punch and implying Wilkes had initiated the conflict.
Boeheim on the Buddy punch: “I saw the play, the kid pushed him twice, I think it was inadvertent. It wasn’t much of a punch.”
— Anthony Dabbundo (@AnthonyDabbundo) March 9, 2022
It's hard to see how Boeheim could possibly believe that was a cogent defense, because a) it's hard to see how a punch that sidelined an opponent for several minutes "isn't much of a punch" and b) the pushing that Boeheim seems to think as punch-worthy was Wilkes pushing for position for a rebound, unless there was come other contact on a previous play.
Syracuse guard Joseph Girard also came to his teammate's defense, insisting Buddy wouldn't hurt a fly after a game in which he clearly hurt a human.
Buddy Boeheim says he apologized to Florida State player
Syracuse later released a statement from Buddy, in which he, similar to his father, pointed to Wilkes' shoving him (for a rebound) and denied purposefully punching the guard, but then conceded what he did was wrong:
In the heat of today's game, after some shoving in the lane, I swung my arm while turning to go back up the court. It was wrong to act out in frustration. I apologized to Wyatt Wilkes multiple times in the handshake line. He said not to worry about it, but I know it was wrong. I pride myself in respecting the game and our opponent. I will not react that way again.
Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton took the high road, praising Buddy's character before saying he wanted to move on.
All class from #FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton: "There's not a better kid in the ACC than Buddy Boeheim. ... We are going to move on and let how well they played be what people talk about related to this game."
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) March 9, 2022
