Brooklyn, New York. In a two-sentence statement, the ACC announced that Buddy Boeheim was suspended from the quarter-final game of the ACC Tournament in Syracuse against Duke for hitting a Florida State player in the Orange’s 96-57 win on Wednesday. .
“The Atlantic Coast Conference today issued a one-game suspension to Syracuse men’s basketball student-athlete Buddy Boheim as a result of an egregious act committed during the first half of the Syracuse State-Florida game,” the release reads. “Boheim to miss Thursday’s ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament game in Syracuse against Duke.”
If Syracuse loses without a top scorer, Boheim will be able to return to the semi-finals.
However, if Syracuse lost, it would be the end of Boheim’s college career.
In the first half of Wednesday’s game, Boheim and Florida State’s Wyatt Wilks followed Joe Girard’s three-pointer. The shot was good. Then, as Boheim turned to return to the court, he punched Wilks in the stomach. Wilkes collapsed and fell for several minutes.
No foul was called in the game, but the video of the game quickly went viral on social media.
After the game, ACC officials met to review the game and decided that Boheim deserved a suspension.
After the game, Buddy Boheim released a statement via the official Syracuse Basketball Twitter account.
“In the heat of today’s game, after some push on the lane, I waved my hand as I turned around to get back on the court,” Boheim wrote. “It was wrong to act in desperation.”
The suspension could end Boheim’s college basketball career. Syracuse (16-16) is not in contention for the NCAA bid unless they win the ACC tournament. According to NIT bracketers, Orange needs to beat Duke to keep the hope of the NIT offer alive.
Boheim led the team in scoring this season with 19.3 points per game. He is ranked 13th on SU’s top scorer list with 1765 points.
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