Coach K Offers Opinion on ‘Unfortunate’ Buddy Boeheim Suspension

The Orange senior missed Thursday’s game vs. the Blue Devils due to a one-game suspension.

Duke beat Syracuse 88–79 on Thursday at the ACC tournament with one key Orange player on the bench: Buddy Boeheim.

Boeheim was suspended one game following an apparent punch to Florida State’s Wyatt Wilkes during Wednesday’s game. 

This meant that the Orange were without their lead scorer (19.2 points per game) for their quarterfinals matchup against the Blue Devils.

Coach K offered his thoughts on the Boeheim suspension following their win over Syracuse.

“I don’t fault anybody for their judgment,” Coach K said. “I just wish that it would’ve been done in the confines of the game. Once it gets outside of the game, then the punishment has to be outside of the game, and that was very unfortunate.”

Coach K on Buddy Boeheim suspension: "I don't fault anybody for their judgment. I just wish that it would've been done in the confines of the game. Once it gets outside of the game, then the punishment has to be outside of the game, and that was very unfortunate."

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) March 10, 2022

Coach K did not blame the officials for missing the foul in his response. The officials did not call a foul on Boeheim during the game, which resulted in the ACC later deciding to suspend the Orange senior on Thursday for his action. 

Syracuse’s season came to an end after their loss to the Blue Devils on Thursday. Duke moves onto the semifinals, in which they will face either Miami or Boston College on Friday at the ACC tournament.

• All Syracuse: Jay Bilas on Buddy Boeheim Suspension: ‘Just Wrong’

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