Jim Boeheim to Appeal 9-Game ACC Suspension: Latest Details and Reaction

On the heels of the nine-game suspension for SMU head coach Larry Brown handed down by the NCAA, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim will reportedly appeal his own nine-game suspension in front of the NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee, per ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

Back in March, the NCAA punished Boeheim and the Syracuse basketball program following an investigation into Orange athletics for allegations that went back to 2001. According to ESPN.com, Syracuse self-reported itself for violations, including improper benefits to players and academic improprieties.

The article also cited "Boeheim's failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor his staff, and the school's lack of control over its athletics program."

On Tuesday, the NCAA found Brown and SMU "failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance when he did not report violations and was not initially truthful during an interview with NCAA enforcement staff," per USA Today's Nicole Auerbach, and reprimanded the two parties.    

While Brown's and Boeheim's suspensions are the same in terms of length, they differ in one critical area: Brown will miss his team's first nine games of the year, whereas Boeheim is out for Syracuse's first nine conference games.

Katz provided what may be the NCAA's impetus for the slight change: "The NCAA said Brown was not initially truthful after first learning of a potential violation at SMU before correcting a response, a charge that was not leveled against Boeheim when the NCAA suspended him for eight conference games in March."

Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News seemed to think both coaches received equal treatment on the balance of their respective records:

Katz reported the appeals committee will likely rule on Boeheim's action by the time the season begins.

Should his suspension remain nine games but begin at the start of the year, Boeheim would miss games against Wisconsin, Georgetown and the winner of Connecticut vs. Michigan in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Although those will be tough matchups for Syracuse, they won't be more important in the long run than the team's ACC clashes, which kick off on Dec. 30 against Pittsburgh.