Jim Boeheim: Call 'worst' of year
— -- DURHAM, N.C. -- Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim wasn't happy to see his team's showdown at No. 5 Duke decided by a controversial charge call Saturday night.
"I just thought that was the worst call of the year, that's all," said Boeheim, whose first trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium ended 10.4 seconds early after he was ejected for protesting the call in a 66-60 defeat. "I just hate to see the game decided on that call."
Duke was leading 60-58 when C.J. Fair's basket was waved off due to the charge call. Official Tony Greene ruled that Rodney Hood established his position before Fair made his move to score.
Boeheim erupted, running onto the court to meet Greene with arms flailing in protest.
"I've only been thrown out once in my life and that was an exhibition game," Boeheim said.
Duke's Quinn Cook made 3 of 4 free throws after the double technical, and Tyler Thornton added another for a six-point lead.
Did Fair think Boeheim's outburst cost Syracuse the game? Fair paused, then told a group of reporters: "Yeah."
"Maybe if we didn't get the tech we might get the chance to win," he said. "What did we lose by, five? (The Orange lost by six.) He made three of four free throws. You do the math."
Boeheim said after the game that he had no regrets, not "today, tomorrow or next week."
"That was the game-decider right there," Boeheim said. "I would have been happy with a no-call, let the players finish the game and see what happens. But it was a great game, tremendously well officiated game, I just disagree with that last call."
Boeheim said he saw the replay of the foul and believed Hood was still in motion. He added that Syracuse guard Michael Gbinije, on a similar play, had the call go against him in the first half.
The NCAA defines the rule as: "Under the revised block/charge call in men's basketball, a defensive player is not permitted to move into the path of an offensive player once he has started his upward motion with the ball to attempt a field goal or pass. If the defensive player is not in legal guarding position by this time, it is a blocking foul."
Boeheim, meanwhile, was in a joking mood after the game, saying he wanted to see if he "still had it" to go out on the floor.
"I got out there pretty good. I was quick, I stayed down and I didn't get injured," he said.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wasn't surprised by his counterpart's enthusiasm.
"That's why he is one of the greatest coaches in any sport. He reacted to it," Krzyzewski said. "I obviously don't want the game to end that way. I applaud him. We are both pretty old and we still care. To me, he wants to win. That's why we do the United States [national team] thing. He and I are right there. That is how he prepares and that's why I love him. We are a really good team together."
Syracuse dropped its second straight game after a 25-0 start. It now trails Virginia for first place in the ACC.
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