WORCESTER, Mass. – In Syracuse’s 60-57 loss to Vermont on Friday, three scholarship players – Billy Edelin, Dayshawn Wright and Josh Wright – were missing from the Syracuse bench. When asked if there was a reason for their absence, head coach Jim Boeheim simply said ‘there is a reason,’ refusing to elaborate further on any of the three.

It was the second time in two days Boeheim declined comment about Edelin, who was not at SU’s open practice on Thursday. When asked then if Edelin was a distraction, Boeheim said: ‘I don’t believe in distractions. That’s an excuse losers make.’

Well, now that Syracuse has lost, the Orange doesn’t have to make excuses. It’s safe to say SU’s off-the-court problems became a big distraction. When the Orange played Vermont on Friday, it did so with only eight basketball scholarship players on the bench.

Had an SU player sustained an injury, it would have been forced to play a walk-on or reduce its rotation to seven. Not that the Orange couldn’t have made it 40 minutes (45 in this case) with only seven players, but how could the absence of three of its players not be a distraction when the team had to bring three walk-ons to Worcester just to fill the bench?

Dayshawn Wright probably never would have taken off his sweats against Vermont and judging by SU’s previous six games, Edelin probably wouldn’t have either. Josh Wright may not have been the answer to Gerry McNamara’s cold hand, but we’ll never know – he was never an option.

This is the second game Dayshawn Wright has not traveled with the team in the last three weeks. He failed to make the trip to Storrs, Conn., for SU’s March 5, 88-70 loss to UConn. Then, Syracuse Associate Director of Athletic Communications, Pete Moore, said he was sick. This time, Moore had nothing to offer for the trio’s absence.

Jim Boeheim may be one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever, but when it comes to public relations he could learn a thing or two.

One minute Edelin’s there, the next he’s not. Then Edelin’s back, then Edelin’s gone again – this time with two freshmen. All the while, no one involved with Syracuse will comment.

Edelin’s time at Syracuse has been rocky since it started, whether or not he will be back next year is still in doubt. Whether or not Dayshawn Wright and Josh Wright will be back next year is anyone’s guess as well, seeing as how no one knows where they went to begin with.

It’s impossible to say how much the absence of those three players affected Syracuse against Vermont, but one thing is clear: it certainly didn’t help.

In October of 2004 at Syracuse’s preseason media day, the first question asked to SU head coach Jim Boeheim was about Edelin. Boeheim was reticent then, saying only that he would see the court when his academic issues were resolved.

Unfortunately for Syracuse, its season ended the way it began – with unanswered questions.