Syracuse self-imposes postseason ban

Feb 4, 2015 - 11:11 PM Syracuse, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Syracuse has self-imposed a one-year postseason ban on its men's basketball team, the school announced Wednesday.

The ban will keep the Orange out of this year's ACC tournament and would also prevent them from playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Syracuse previously notified the NCAA of the ban as part of a case that is pending before the governing body's Committee on Infractions, the school said.

The case, which was initiated in 2007 when Syracuse self-reported potential athletic department violations to the NCAA, does not involve any current student-athletes, the school said.

It said all of the conduct under investigation occurred before 2012.

"The university appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in October 2014 and has continued to cooperatively engage with the committee," Syracuse said in a news release.

"As a further means of acknowledging past mistakes, the university notified the NCAA that it will be voluntarily withholding the men's basketball team from postseason competition following the current 2014-15 season."

Syracuse said it had self-imposed other penalties that will be made public once the NCAA issues a final report on the matter.

Longtime Orange coach Jim Boeheim said he is "very disappointed" the team will miss the postseason and singled out senior forward Rakeem Christmas as a four- year contributor who will be affected by the ban.

"However, I supported this decision and I believe the university is doing the right thing by acknowledging that past mistakes occurred," Boeheim said in a statement. "Our players have faced adversity and challenges before. I know they will rise to this challenge by keeping our program strong and continuing to make our university proud."

The Orange have struggled this season, going 15-7 so far with a 6-3 mark in the ACC. They made the NCAA Tournament in each of the past six seasons.