Productivity is not a hallmark of the day leading up to the start of the NCAA tournament as brackets get filled out and office work gets overlooked. On Tuesday, that lack of billable effort converged in a moment of simultaneous scribbling, or logging back in to Yahoo! or ESPN.com, when Syracuse announced 7-foot center Fab Melo would miss the tournament due to eligibility issues.
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In an effort to stem the tide of economic loss, here are the teams that stand to gain from Melo’s absence, even if it could be a blessing in disguise that forces coach Jim Boeheim to utilize the full-court press more often:
Kansas State » Melo helped limit the Orange’s season-long struggles on the boards, and now he’s gone. The Wildcats, meanwhile, just happen to be the top rebounding team in the Big 12. Should they get past Southern Miss, 6-foot-11 Jordan Henriquez will become the biggest force in the paint for a team that has the physical makeup to match Syracuse’s length and athleticism.
Vanderbilt » Playing well and featuring their own stifling 2-3 zone, the Commodores present a tough matchup against the Orange at full strength. Now Syracuse will have a far tougher time going inside and getting Melo’s help cleaning up misses from outside.
Ohio State » Last year the Buckeyes got the short end of the bracket and had to meet underseeded Kentucky in the Sweet 16. They may still have to go through Florida State to get to New Orleans, but they’re now the de facto favorite in the East Region.
– Craig Stouffer
