It was a huge win for this season, a monumental win as far as the Syracuse NCAA Tournament hopes. But it was even bigger for Jim Boeheim because no matter what any NCAA official wants to claim, Jim Boeheim has won 1000 games as head coach of the Orange.

Jim Boeheim said after the game yesterday that he couldn’t read fans minds. I’ll give mind reading a shot here: this wasn’t any other win for Jim Boeheim, and it wasn’t just win number 15 on the season.

You could tell. You could tell by the way he embraced the crowd at the end of the game. It was more than just acknowledging the great effect the crowd had on the game, and I do think the crowd had a phenomenal impact on the game. It was an acknowledgement of the rousing ovation the fans had given Boeheim following the game and a thank you of the recognition they were giving him of the 1000 wins.

The student section storming the court was a way to celebrate. Not celebrating beating a top 10 team, the way that it was a week earlier. This was a celebration of Jim Boeheim’s career. This was the students wanting to party with Boeheim and the team and celebrate the accomplishment.

Think about all the wins. All the years. All the players involved and the opponents beaten. The Tournament games. The Championship.

Saturday should have been a day to realize all of that. Watch every last memory on the big screen in the Carrier Dome. Saturday should have been a day where we could have seen videos from Dave Bing, Louie and Bouie, DC, Sherman Douglas, Lawrence Moten, Melo and more congratulating their coach— or teammate in Bing’s case— on the incredible achievement.

But it can’t be recognized because of a ridiculous and silly NCAA rule.

But back to focusing on the accomplishment. It truly is incredible.

Only one other men’s basketball coach had ever reached 1000 wins. Think of all the great coaches who had incredible and long careers. Only one had made it to the plateau that Boeheim has now reached. Not Phog Allen. Not Adolph Rupp. Not John Wooden or Dean Smith.

The list is 2: Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim. That’s it.

That’s what deserves to be recognized and celebrated, that’s what was being celebrated as the court was stormed and the fans rose to their feet.