Syracuse to tip off NIT against Greensboro in ironic matchup
Jim Boeheim and Syracuse didn't get what they wanted Sunday: an NCAA bid. Instead, the Orange coach will play host to a team from the city he deemed unfit for the ACC Tournament last week as the NIT opens in Central New York on Tuesday.
Boeheim made waves when he took a shot at the city of Greensboro following Syracuse's first-round exit of the ACC Tournament last week in Brooklyn, suggesting that the tournament was better suited for larger markets.
"I just think New York City's a great venue for our tournament,'' Boeheim told reporters on Wednesday. "I think the big cities are where it should be played. I think it should be played here, Washington, Atlanta. That's where the tournament should be played."
"There's no value in playing in Greensboro. None,'' Boeheim added. "It's there because the league's been there and the office is there and they have a 150 people that the ACC needs. That's why it's there. It should not be there.''
Boeheim's "no value" quote spread like wildfire and after the Orange were eliminated, the city of Greensboro's Twitter responded to Boeheim's quote with a snarky comment.
https://twitter.com/greensborocity/status/839563546518294530
Greensboro's minor-league baseball got in on the fun, announcing a clever Boeheim-related promotion for the upcoming season.
On Sunday, the city's Twitter account again added insult to injury.
https://twitter.com/greensborocity/status/841089730766872576
Boeheim's 18-14 Orange will face 25-9 UNC-Greensboro in a matchup that NIT officials claim was not deliberately set.
And if the feelings aren't chilly enough, the forecast in Syracuse suggests a cold reception awaits UNC-Greensboro.
