The Associated Press

DePaul guard LeVar Seals will miss the team's NCAA Tournament opener today 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 a one-game suspension if a player is called for a flagrant personal foul for fighting.

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

DePaul was in Buffalo preparing to take on 10th-seeded Dayton today. Seals averages only 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds, but he plays almost 17 minutes a game, and is one of DePaul's better defenders.

If DePaul wins, it would face the winner of today's Connecticut-Vermont game on Saturday.