The Big Ten placed nine teams in the NCAA tournament in men’s basketball last season, four more than the ACC.
Still, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim believes his conference proved its superiority with three teams reaching the Elite Eight and a 14-5 overall record. None of the Big Ten teams advanced past the Sweet 16, while posting a 9-9 overall mark.
“At the end of the day, you play for the tournament,” Boeheim said Friday at Syracuse’s media day. “You can say what you want about the Big Ten. They sucked in the tournament. To me, that’s what they did. All of their wins were in their league. If you can’t play in the [NCAA] tournament, then you’re not good.”
ACC powers North Carolina and Duke met in the Final Four last spring, before Kansas upended the Tar Heels in the title game.
Syracuse coach Jim BoeheimAPMichigan and Purdue both lost in the Sweet 16, leaving the Big Ten without a national champion since Michigan State won it all in 2000.
Syracuse (16-17 overall) did not receive a bid, but another ACC school, Miami, also reached the Elite Eight.
“Kansas was the best team [last year],” the 77-year-old Boeheim said. “But the best league? What league won 14 games and only lost five [in the tournament]? The ACC. To me, that’s the best league.”
