In the spring, Big East coaches expressed their concern about the conference tournament format and league administrators explored making changes, but after a few months of discussion the decision was made to keep the tournament the same for the upcoming season.

For the past two seasons, all 16 teams made the tournament, with the top four seeds receiving double byes and teams seeded five through eight receiving one bye.

The format that had been explored this spring had the top four seeds playing the bottom four seeds on Tuesday with winners advancing to Thursday's quarterfinal round.

The middle eight teams would have played on Wednesday with the four winners advancing to Thursday.

The Nashville Predators signed their top goal scorer, forward Patric Hornqvist, to a three-year, $9.25 million contract. Hornqvist, 23, is Nashville's first draft pick to score 30 goals, which he had last season.

• Aaron Ward, a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams, is retiring from the NHL after 13 seasons. Ward spent most of last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2006. He was traded in March to Anaheim.

• Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier had minor arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to recover in time for the start of training camp.

The Clark County coroner's office ruled that 25-year-old professional golfer Erica Blasberg's death was a suicide. Blasberg died May 9 at her home in Henderson, about 15 miles southeast of the Las Vegas Strip. She was found with a plastic bag secured over her head.

The U.S. national basketball team finalized its roster for the world championships and there's no Rajon Rondo. The Celtics star asked to withdraw from consideration. He started the first two exhibition games, then didn't play at all Sunday against Spain.

• Houston Rockets center Yao Ming is confident he'll be ready for the start of the NBA season after a team doctor said his surgically repaired foot has healed. Team doctor Tom Clanton has cleared Yao to resume basketball activities with no physical limitations.

Keytone Oaks High School running back-linebacker Matt McCann, who rushed for 1,804 yards last season, made a verbal commitment to Villanova.

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