CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The first official day of the college hoops season wasn't supposed to be quite this eventful.

However, it brought us milestones such as Jim Boeheim's 800th victory and Evan Turner's triple-double, Isiah Thomas' debut at FIU and also a couple of off-the-court stories as well.

Let's start with Boeheim.

The Syracuse coach isn't like most coaches. In fact, he's the only college coach in the nation that doesn't opt for game-day shootarounds in the afternoon.

"He's never done it," said former Boeheim assistant Tim Welsh, now a television analyst. "Jim's approach has been different – and that's why his teams play with a lot of confidence."

Boeheim now sits in exclusive company with guys like Bob Knight, Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Phelan, Jim Calhoun and Eddie Sutton. All have at least 800 career victories.

"He's been able to adapt," said current Orange assistant Mike Hopkins, who also played for Boeheim. "But what people may not realize about him is he's the most competitive guy I've ever been around. He hates to lose more than anybody on the planet."

"His fire is a lot hotter in the locker room and in games than most people know," Welsh added.

Welsh recalls a time when Boeheim walked straight from the bus into the Marriott Long Wharf in Boston following a loss to Boston College.

"He got the team together for the next three hours," Welsh said. "Until 1:30. People don't see that side of him – the competitive juices he has."

Hopkins points to the lack of game-day shootarounds as one reason why the program has had so much success on the road and also a key component to why Syracuse suffered its first season-ending injuries just two years ago when Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf went down for the season.

"It keeps guys really loose," he said. "It's been a huge advantage for us."

- Syracuse played zone the entire game on Monday night. Both Welsh and Albany coach Will Brown agreed that the Orange have terrific length this season.

"They are built to be a zone team," Welsh said. "A really good one. Their size is immense."

- Albany shot just 27 percent from the field and also committed 32 turnovers against the zone.

YAROU’S ELIGIBLITY IN QUESTION

Mike Decourcy of Sporting News reported that there may be an age discrepancy with Villanova's heralded freshman big man, Mouphtaou Yarou.

Yarou, ranked by Scout.com as the No. 9 player in the Class of 2009, has been cleared by the NCAA to play this season for the Wildcats – a team that went to the Final Four a year ago and has a chance to return this season.

However, the FIBA website lists Yarou's age at 23 and his birthdate as June 26, 1984 when he played in a 2007 Africa club tournament, which would make him 25.

Villanova lists his birthdate as June 26, 1990, which makes him 19 years old.

"I don't have a compelling need to look into it because I believe it's probably a typo," Gordon Finch, Villanova's associate athletic director for compliance, told Sporting News on Monday night. "We've got his passport, his naturalization papers and his international student athlete form, all of which don't have that as his birthdate."

If Yarou is 25, his eligibility would be in question due to an NCAA rule that states that each year that an athlete plays organized competition beyond his 21st birthday, the player gives up one year of eligibility. Yarou played in the Africa Cup and then spent the next two seasons at Massanutten Military Academy (Va.) and Montrose Christian (Md.).

SETON HALL GUARD CRASHES CAR; CHARGED WITH DWI

When I spoke to Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez last month at Big East Media Day, he was the first one to admit that his players needed to take care of themselves off the court.

The talent level is there with guys like Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence eligible after sitting out the season after transferring.

Well, it hasn't taken long.

Lawrence caused a wrong-way crash on the Garden State Parkway and has been charged with driving while intoxicated and with a suspended license.

Lawrence, 22, drove the wrong way in the southbound express lanes and hit another vehicle early Monday.

Not exactly the start that Gonzalez was hoping for.

RANDOM NOTES: Florida State sophomore forward Chris Singleton sat out the Seminoles' exhibition win on Monday night due to a slight shoulder injury. He's expected to play in Monday's season opener against Jacksonville. ... Ohio State's Evan Turner, who has been moved to the point guard spot this season, recorded the school's second triple-double with 14 points, 17 boards and 10 assists in a rout over Alcorn State. Dennis Hopson had the only other one back in 1986. ... Lost in Turner's huge game was David Lighty's return. Lighty, who missed most of last season, had eight points and eight assists in 22 minutes. ... Cal held off Murray State but missed hard-working forward Harper Kamp, who continues to battle knee problems. ... Dave Telep of Scout.com reported last night that UCLA had received a commitment from one of the top senior big men in the country, Josh Smith.

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