Head Coach Jim Boeheim Selection Sunday Press Conference Transcript
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
NCAA Tournament Selection Press Conference
March 13, 2016
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement:
“This is the happiest I’ve been on Selection Sunday in all my years of coaching. I couldn’t be any happier for this group. Obviously it’s been a very tough and difficult year with a lot of ups and downs – a lot of tough, tough games. We played 19 games in this league and every one of them was as difficult as it could be. I held hope that our road win at Duke, the Texas A&M and Connecticut games and beating five teams in the top 30 would play out. I think once we started seeing some of the teams get in that only had two wins against the top 50 or top 75, we did have a chance then.
“I am so happy for this team with everything that has happened this season and last season. For Mike (Gbinije) and Trevor (Cooney) to get back to the tournament is just great and I couldn’t be any happier for them. Their leadership this year when we struggled was really tremendous. I think we got into this tournament based on the start of the year. Going to Atlantis and winning that tournament – I think five of the teams from that tournament are in the field – it might even be six.
“I am really happy for these guys and we just have to be ready to go.”
Did you have any conversations with anyone about taking into consideration that you were out?
“No, but as I look at it now, that had nothing to do with it. We won five games against the top 30 teams in the country and the teams that got in ahead of us didn’t win as many. Once I saw that I thought we’ve got a pretty good chance here to get in.”
Have you had a chance to watch Dayton?
“I’ve seen Dayton play probably seven or eight times this year. They are the same as the team that beat us two years ago. They are very good and come after you. They are a really, really good basketball team.”
How do you feel about the way the team is playing right now?
“I thought we’ve played well. I think we played our best game against Pittsburgh of the three games that we played them. We had the ball and a chance to win the game. At North Carolina, we were two points down. North Carolina beat everybody. They beat Miami at home by 25. They beat Pittsburgh at home by 25. We were two points down with 40 seconds to go at North Carolina. We were tied at Louisville late. We were at Florida State in a two-point game. I think we are playing fine. I think we are ready to go to the tournament and play well. We’ve had a couple of really good days at practice. We came back and since have had as good of practices that we’ve had all year I think.”
There are two ACC teams as No. 1 seeds. Do you think that helps that the league is highly thought of?
“I think the Pac 10 was really well thought of, getting Oregon and Cal as such a high seed with 10 losses. I haven’t analyzed it but it looks to me like our conference, the Big XII and Pac 10 are well represented from what it looks like.”
When you say you’re happy for Michael Gbinije and Trevor Cooney to get back to the tournament, are you referring to last season when the whole team didn’t get a chance to go to the tournament?
“We wouldn’t have gotten in, probably, anyway. We didn’t get in for whatever reason. We weren’t there last year so we missed it last year, although Trevor has gotten the opportunity to go a couple of times and Mike has been once. I feel for good for those two guys to be able to go back to the tournament is great.
“There have been a couple of years that I thought we were going to get in and we didn’t get in. Those are crushing, crushing years when that happens. This year, I wasn’t quite as optimistic probably, so I am happy. I wouldn’t have been crushed as much as a couple of years.”
Why weren’t you as optimistic this year?
“I just wasn’t. I didn’t really look at it. I knew we had more wins, good wins, than some of the teams that got in today. As the thing was unfolding and I’m seeing all of those teams get in, now I’m thinking we should get in. I don’t know yet who the teams were who were left out. It was possible that the committee would take teams with 25, 26 wins and left some of the teams like us out. It didn’t turn out that way.
“Again, I wasn’t optimistic until the early start to the thing. You sure don’t want a two-hour selection show when you’re not sure. That’s for sure.”
Closing Statement:
“I’m happy for the whole team. I just think they overcame a lot. I thought we played well all year. We really put a streak together when we had to go down to Wake Forest and Duke and then come home and win those games. It’s easy to let one or two of those home games slip away. I think that if we had lost to Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech, which was a real possibility, I don’t think we’d be in the tournament. (Finishing) 9-9 is still okay in this league, 8-10 – we wouldn’t have gotten in. I’ll remember coming from seven down with 1:22 to go against Virginia Tech and winning that game. And Georgia Tech, having a chance to tie or win at the end of regulation and Duke having a chance to win at the end – every one of those games we had to win to get into the tournament. It’s great that these guys were able to pull that off and get that done. Like I said, I’m happy. I’m happier than I’ve ever been on Selection Sunday.”
NCAA Tournament Selection Press Conference
March 13, 2016
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement:
“This is the happiest I’ve been on Selection Sunday in all my years of coaching. I couldn’t be any happier for this group. Obviously it’s been a very tough and difficult year with a lot of ups and downs – a lot of tough, tough games. We played 19 games in this league and every one of them was as difficult as it could be. I held hope that our road win at Duke, the Texas A&M and Connecticut games and beating five teams in the top 30 would play out. I think once we started seeing some of the teams get in that only had two wins against the top 50 or top 75, we did have a chance then.
“I am so happy for this team with everything that has happened this season and last season. For Mike (Gbinije) and Trevor (Cooney) to get back to the tournament is just great and I couldn’t be any happier for them. Their leadership this year when we struggled was really tremendous. I think we got into this tournament based on the start of the year. Going to Atlantis and winning that tournament – I think five of the teams from that tournament are in the field – it might even be six.
“I am really happy for these guys and we just have to be ready to go.”
Did you have any conversations with anyone about taking into consideration that you were out?
“No, but as I look at it now, that had nothing to do with it. We won five games against the top 30 teams in the country and the teams that got in ahead of us didn’t win as many. Once I saw that I thought we’ve got a pretty good chance here to get in.”
Have you had a chance to watch Dayton?
“I’ve seen Dayton play probably seven or eight times this year. They are the same as the team that beat us two years ago. They are very good and come after you. They are a really, really good basketball team.”
How do you feel about the way the team is playing right now?
“I thought we’ve played well. I think we played our best game against Pittsburgh of the three games that we played them. We had the ball and a chance to win the game. At North Carolina, we were two points down. North Carolina beat everybody. They beat Miami at home by 25. They beat Pittsburgh at home by 25. We were two points down with 40 seconds to go at North Carolina. We were tied at Louisville late. We were at Florida State in a two-point game. I think we are playing fine. I think we are ready to go to the tournament and play well. We’ve had a couple of really good days at practice. We came back and since have had as good of practices that we’ve had all year I think.”
There are two ACC teams as No. 1 seeds. Do you think that helps that the league is highly thought of?
“I think the Pac 10 was really well thought of, getting Oregon and Cal as such a high seed with 10 losses. I haven’t analyzed it but it looks to me like our conference, the Big XII and Pac 10 are well represented from what it looks like.”
When you say you’re happy for Michael Gbinije and Trevor Cooney to get back to the tournament, are you referring to last season when the whole team didn’t get a chance to go to the tournament?
“We wouldn’t have gotten in, probably, anyway. We didn’t get in for whatever reason. We weren’t there last year so we missed it last year, although Trevor has gotten the opportunity to go a couple of times and Mike has been once. I feel for good for those two guys to be able to go back to the tournament is great.
“There have been a couple of years that I thought we were going to get in and we didn’t get in. Those are crushing, crushing years when that happens. This year, I wasn’t quite as optimistic probably, so I am happy. I wouldn’t have been crushed as much as a couple of years.”
Why weren’t you as optimistic this year?
“I just wasn’t. I didn’t really look at it. I knew we had more wins, good wins, than some of the teams that got in today. As the thing was unfolding and I’m seeing all of those teams get in, now I’m thinking we should get in. I don’t know yet who the teams were who were left out. It was possible that the committee would take teams with 25, 26 wins and left some of the teams like us out. It didn’t turn out that way.
“Again, I wasn’t optimistic until the early start to the thing. You sure don’t want a two-hour selection show when you’re not sure. That’s for sure.”
Closing Statement:
“I’m happy for the whole team. I just think they overcame a lot. I thought we played well all year. We really put a streak together when we had to go down to Wake Forest and Duke and then come home and win those games. It’s easy to let one or two of those home games slip away. I think that if we had lost to Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech, which was a real possibility, I don’t think we’d be in the tournament. (Finishing) 9-9 is still okay in this league, 8-10 – we wouldn’t have gotten in. I’ll remember coming from seven down with 1:22 to go against Virginia Tech and winning that game. And Georgia Tech, having a chance to tie or win at the end of regulation and Duke having a chance to win at the end – every one of those games we had to win to get into the tournament. It’s great that these guys were able to pull that off and get that done. Like I said, I’m happy. I’m happier than I’ve ever been on Selection Sunday.”
