Punch lands Seals on bench for Dayton game

CHICAGO (AP) -- DePaul guard LeVar Seals will miss the team's NCAA tournament opener Thursday because of a punch he threw during the Conference USA championship game.

Seals was ejected Saturday for punching Cincinnati's Tony Bobbitt in the groin. The junior said it was unintentional but referees called it a fight.

NCAA rules call for an automatic, one-game suspension if a player is called for a flagrant personal foul for fighting.

"It's not a conference rule," C-USA deputy commissioner Brenda Wear said. "The conference is really prohibited by rule to review or alter the action."

DePaul already was preparing for Thursday's game against 10th-seeded Dayton as if Seals would not play. Seals averages just 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds, but he plays almost 17 minutes a game and is one of DePaul's better defenders.