SUNDAY, MARCH 12^TH, 2017-Many NCAA men’s division I basketball programs were awaiting their fate: a trip to the 2017 NCAA tournament! Excitement was in the air for the teams that performed exceptionally well in the regular season. In order to make the tournament, teams such as Northwestern, Syracuse, Wake Forest, and Rhode Island had to be able to beat top-ranked, tough opponents. They all did. Unfortunately, on Selection Sunday, the NCAA tournament selection committee chose not to add Syracuse into the tournament field. College basketball analysts, as well as Syracuse players, fans, and the head coach Jim Boeheim, were greatly surprised at the committee’s decision. He addressed this during a press conference, as his team was getting ready to play against UNC Greensboro in the first round of the NIT tournament: “Obviously, it’s disappointing, disappointing especially to our seniors, our two fifth-year seniors… We had a terrible start to our season… then after that, I thought we played pretty well…”

Prior to this season, Boeheim has led Syracuse to the NCAA tournament since he has been the head coach. The best finish the Orange had in their long, successful men’s basketball program history was when, back in 2003, a team led by star forward Carmelo Anthony, a future top 10 NBA Draft selection and future NBA All-Star, won the National Championship game. Yes, Syracuse struggled against non-conference opponents, and playing basketball games away from the Carrier Dome, but still, they play in a powerhouse conference known as the Atlantic Coast Conference(ACC), whose members include schools such as North Carolina and Duke. The committee made a huge mistake, in my opinion. How is that they selected programs such as Vanderbilt and Mount St. Mary’s, two teams with the same number of wins as Syracuse, and yet, not put the Orange in the Big Dance? The players fought hard all season long, and the fans supported them through the team’s successes and failures.Syracuse will be playing a postseason tournament, but not the one fans of college basketball expected them to participate in. The NCAA selection committee robbed a hall of fame head coach and his team, plain and simple. Next season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Orange play with a chip on their shoulders and show the NCAA committee what they are made of. Let’s go, Syracuse!