Jim Boeheim Needs to Retire Today

Jim Boeheim's stubborn adherence to failed strategies once again cost Syracuse a game, and this time any chance at the NCAA Tournament came with it. Syracuse blew an 11 point lead in 5 minutes thanks to Boeheim's no-points offense, an ineffective strategy I have criticized him for many times. And amazingly, everyone saw it coming. Here's how it happened:

5:16 - Johnny Flynn hits a 3-pointer to give SU a 73-62 lead.

4:58 - Pitt uses good passing to break down the zone for an easy basket, 73-64.

4:30 - Scoop Jardine makes a bad pass for a turnover.

4:10 - Paul Harris makes a steal.

3:47 - Harris makes a great pass to Arinze Onuaku for a dunk, 75-64.

3:37 - Jamie Dixon calls timeout.

3:30 - Levance Fields hits 2 free throws, 75-66.

3:23 - Onuakua passes up a layup.

3:20 - Sean McDonough says "Syracuse may run a little time here. That historically, has been the way under Jim Boeheim, he's a big believer than when you have a lead of this margin at this time of the game try to shorten the game, give the other team fewer possessions."

2:56 - With 2 on the shot clock, Onuaku rushes his shot and gets blocked from behind.

2:48 - Gilbert Brown hits a wide-open 3, 75-69.

2:43 - McDonough says "Those who have questioned Jim Boeheim about this strategy of killing the clock say a lot of times you lose your rhythm."

2:37 - Flynn wasn't paying attention and Ramon stole the inbounds pass and got an easy layup, 75-71.

2:33 - McDonough says "they better stopping worrying about killing the clock and concern themselves with winning the game."

2:33- Boeheim calls timeout and blames the whole thing on his players.

2:33 - McDonough explains that he's talked to Boeheim about this in the past and Boeheim of course defended it. Even though it doesn't work.

2:13 - Harris drives the lane and gets blocked.

2:03 - Levance Fields hits 2 free throws, 75-73.

1:32 - Flynn drives and hits a floater, McDonough calls it possibly the biggest basket of the season, 77-73.

1:03 - Brown hits another 3, 77-76.

:59 - Harris turns it over but Pitt steps out and SU gets it again.

:28 - With 3 on the shot clock Harris dumps it off to Flynn who has to chuck up a 25 footer, which misses.

:15 - For no reason Brown throws the ball off the side of the backboard for no good reason.

:11 - Harris gets trapped on the baseline, has it stolen, and Pitt gets an easy layup to take the lead, 78-77.

:04 - Jardine barely hits the rim.

:01.5 - Boeheim runs on the court, gets a technical, trying to blame the loss on the officials. Pitt hits all four free throws and SU has no chance.

Even with his terrible decision to stop scoring SU still should have won had it not been for some awful turnovers. But the last possession with a minute to go SU needed to score. And they didn't even try. A 3 point lead with say 38 or even 48 seconds is much more likely to hold up than a 1 point lead with 28 seconds left.

The point is, this happens all the time. No team should blow as many leads as Syracuse, but they do because Boeheim is an idiot. I hope he retires today.