After a big win against Louisville on Wednesday night, Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim drove home and was in an unfortunate accident that led to the death of a 51-year-old man. The man's vehicle had crashed and when he got out to go seek some help, he was struck by Boeheim's car. The Syracuse coach had no alcohol in his system and it appears as though it was all a freak accident. In a statement, Boeheim said he is "heartbroken that a member of our community has died as a result of last night's accident."
According to Sports Illustrated, Boeheim will be on the sidelines coaching on Saturday when his team takes on the Duke Blue Devils, who are the number one team in the nation. The game will be played in Syracuse.
John Wildhack, the Athletic Director for Syracuse explained the decision in a statement:
"The Jimenez family has suffered a tremendous loss. Our community is shaken. The Boeheim family is heartbroken over what happened, as we all are. This is a very difficult time. I know that Coach Boeheim's players gain strength from him, just as he gains strength from his players. Our entire community gains strength from each other. With this in mind, and after thoughtful consideration, I have respectfully decided that Coach Boeheim will resume his coaching duties later today and will coach in tomorrow night's game against Duke. We continue to extend our deepest sympathies to the Jimenez family as they continue to mourn this tragic loss."
Syracuse comes into the game with a record of 18-8.
