Syracuse Orange center Fab Melo was deemed ineligible for the 2012 NCAA tournament because the NCAA revisited an investigation into Melo's academic performance, according to an ESPN report.
Syracuse announced Tuesday afternoon that Melo did not travel to Pittsburgh with the team and would not compete in the NCAA tournament due to an eligibility issue. The 7-footer missed three games earlier this season while the NCAA investigated his academics.
"This is an academic issue related to the first suspension," a source told ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil. "He was initially cleared after the first suspension but the NCAA has since revisited the case and deemed him ineligible again."
Melo was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season. His interior presence is critical to Syracuse's 2-3 zone defense.
For more coverage of the NCAA Tournament, be sure to check out our tourney stream, our NCAA Tournament Hub and SB Nation New York for all your needs.