It wasn’t supposed to end like this for Boeheim’s Army.
For the first time since their Syracuse days, Jimmy Boeheim and Buddy Boeheim would be playing together again. Other notable Syracuse alums, such as Elijah Hughes and Malachi Richardson, would also be returning for The Basketball Tournament.
With one of its deepest rosters in years, Boeheim’s Army earned the one seed in its region and looked ready to capture its second TBT title after winning back in 2021. If that wasn’t enough, they’d also be playing in front of a home crowd at SRC Arena.
And none of it mattered.
Boeheim’s Army fell 81-78 to We Are D3 in the second round of the TBT on Monday in what was easily the tournament’s biggest upset so far. The top seed in the Syracuse region struggled to contain Ty Nichols, who scored 16 points in the first half before ending with a game-high 36 points and the game-winner to send Boeheim’s Army packing.
Aside from Nichols torching them from all areas of the court, Boeheim’s Army was also outmatched in key areas. It lost the rebound battle 45-30 and struggled to make three-pointers, finishing with just 10 makes on 31 attempts from beyond the arc.
In the Elam Ending, Boeheim’s Army couldn’t string together the stops it needed to after trailing most of the fourth quarter, and it was too much for them to overcome. The top seed in the Syracuse region cruised to a 97-71 win over the Herkimer Originals in the first round, but We Are D3 came out and punched Boeheim’s Army in the mouth with a level of physicality that it couldn’t match.
While the tournament was a major disappointment after months of buildup and hype, there’s still plenty to look forward to when the college basketball season begins, as Syracuse hopes to redeem itself after one of the worst seasons in program history.
Led this season by incoming talent like Kiyan Anthony, the son of former Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, hopefully, the Orange can avoid disappointing Syracuse fans again after the early exit from Boeheim’s Army.
