Jim Boeheim, the second-winningest coach in Division I basketball history, has coached his last game for Syracuse. Only a few hours after the Orange were eliminated by Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament, the university announced that Boeheim’s 47th season at the helm was his final one. He will be succeeded by Orange assistant Adrian Autry, who played for Boeheim from 1990 to 1994.
Notre Dame’s first game against Boeheim’s Orange was a 65-62 loss Feb. 9, 1985 at Purcell Pavilion. Most recently, the Orange had a come-from-behind 78-73 victory Jan. 14 in Syracuse. Overall, the Irish went 16-31 in the rivalry during that time. The programs have battled every year as conference rivals since 1996 – first in the Big East with the Irish losing two of three meetings in that conference’s tournament, and then, in the ACC.
Fighting Irish Wire was lucky to be in South Bend for what turned out to be Boeheim’s final trip there. After his team’s 62-61 victory, we were able to sit in on his postgame news conference. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to snap a photo of the Hall of Famer, which is what you’re seeing at the top of this story.
Much like [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag], who coached his own final game for an ACC program he has become synonymous with less than 24 hours earlier, Boeheim will be missed, and we wish him well.
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