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Scoop Jardine debuts as a commentator Wednesday

NCAA Basketball Tournament - Kansas State v Syracuse

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 17: Scoop Jardine #11 of the Syracuse Orange passes the ball in thesecond half against Angel Rodriguez #13 of the Kansas State Wildcats during the third round of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Consol Energy Center on March 17, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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While his former head coach Jim Boeheim goes for win No. 903 tonight - which will give him the second-most wins all time in men’s Division I basketball - Scoop Jardine begins his career as a television commentator.

Jardine will join SNY’s Big East Preview Show at 5:30 p.m. tonight, according to Donna Ditota of the Post Standard. Ditota also reported that Jardine will be in the SNY studio and will appear several times throughout the evening, as SNY airs two games Wednesday night.

“I was contacted about Scoop and my thought was, I knew he had a big personality, why not try him out on a preview show?,”SNY’s Vice President for Studio Programming and Production, Brian Como told the Post Standard. “He’s got an effervescent personality. He smiles a lot and he seems to have a nice cache about himself. And on TV, you need big personalities.”

According to Como, Jardine will talk about the Big East’s biggest storylines as conference play started this week.

The former Syracuse point guard is working as a television commentator after his hopes of playing professional were put on hold. Following his playing career at Syracuse, which ended this past spring, Jardine broke a bone in his right foot during a workout with the Utah Jazz. The Post-Standard stated that Jardine still wants to play professionally, but is still recovering from his injury suffered in June.

“It’s the first step to something special,” Jardine told the Post-Standard. “It’s a great opportunity for me to be on TV in the New York City area.”

“I feel like I’m networking,” added Jardine. “I’m getting television work until I’m back playing basketball. Hopefully, I can do this three times a week.”

The Philadelphia, Pa. native spent five years in Syracuse (redshirted in 2008-2009) averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 assists per game as a senior. Syracuse University is home to the renowned S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, which has produced some of the top television commentators and personalities in sports, however Jardine majored in health and wellness.

Boeheim and Syracuse hosts Rutgers tonight in the conference opener for both teams. This is the Orange’s final season as a member of the Big East.

Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne