Syracuse Center Fab Melo to Miss NCAA Tournament After Being Ruled Ineligible

One of the best teams in the NCAA tournament will be without one of its best players when the tournament tips this weekend.

Syracuse center Fab Melo did not accompany the Orange to Pittsburgh, and he will not play in the NCAA tournament, the school announced Tuesday. According to the Syracuse website, Melo will sit because of an eligibility issue, and "given University policy and federal student privacy laws, no further details can be provided at this time."

The 7-foot sophomore is an integral piece to Syracuse, especially on the defensive end in the middle of Jim Boheim's vaunted zone defense. Melo averaged a hair under three blocks per game this season for the Orange, playing 25 minutes per night.

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