Selection show changes
The 68 teams in the men’s NCAA Tournament will be revealed in the first 10 minutes of the selection show Sunday, and then the brackets and pairings will be unveiled by regions.
The selection show will be aired on TBS for the first time since CBS and Turner Sports began partnering on NCAA Tournament coverage in 2011. The two-hour show will come from a new studio in Atlanta, customized for the selection show and before a live audience.
CBS and Turner executives say the entire bracket will be revealed in 45 minutes. The new twist comes in the first 10 minutes when the automatic bids are announced in alphabetical order by conference. Then at-large selections will be revealed in alphabetical order by team.
BASEBALL
Seth Romero, a top pitching prospect selected by Washington with the 25th overall pick in last year’s amateur draft, was sent home from spring training by the Nationals on Tuesday for violating curfew.
Washington said the left-hander violated team policy but did not go into details. A person familiar with the situation said Romero’s girlfriend was at spring training and he stayed out late.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve sent a player home and it won’t be the last,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said.
NBA
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $15,000 for public criticism of officiating.
After Boston’s 123-120 loss to Houston on Saturday, Smart said Rockets guard James Harden is among those who receive favorable treatment from referees.
Smart said that “certain players” get “calls that other guys just wouldn’t get.”
FIELD HOCKEY
The star player on the national champion University of Connecticut field hockey team who was charged with stealing $34 in makeup has been accepted into a probation program that could clear her record.
Charlotte Veitner apologized for the theft as a state judge in Rockville approved her request for accelerated rehabilitation.
Veitner, UConn’s all-time leading scorer, led the country with 34 goals during the Huskies’ run to the NCAA title. Veitner netted both goals in a 2-1 win over Maryland in the national title game.