Syracuse C Fab Melo to Miss NCAA Tournament

Published: 13^th Mar 12 1:49 pm

by Paul Seaver
College Basketball Network Manager

RANT It!

Syracuse University has announced that sophomore center Fab Melo will miss the entire 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Melo did not travel with the team to Pittsburgh due to ongoing eligibility issues, according to the university.

The loss of Melo, the team’s leading rebounder, could not have come at a worse time, as the Orange, who currently hold the No. 1 seed in the East Region, are considered to be one of the favorites in this year’s quest for a national championship.

The 7-foot big man missed three games earlier in the season, being ruled ineligible due to an academic issue. Syracuse’s undefeated start to the season ended on Jan. 21, the first game that Melo missed.

Syracuse continued their successful season by tallying 11 consecutive wins following the Notre Dame defeat before being ousted in the Big East Tournament semifinals last Friday.

The loss did not affect Syracuse’s seeding when the bracket were released on Sunday, but the loss of their big man could impact the team’s ability to threaten for a national championship. The Orange are 2-1 without Melo this season.

The sophomore is currently averaging 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season, but has made terrific strides in comparison to last year.

No. 1 Syracuse (31-2) will hit the court on Thursday, Mar. 15 at 3:10 p.m. (EST) against 16th-seeded UNC-Asheville.