NCAA to Stagger Starts = More Buzzer Beaters

The NCAA tournament's new television deal will allow for more staggered starts of games, so all of those buzzer-beaters aren't happening at the same time.


The contract signed in April with CBS and Turner Sports means all games would be televised live nationally for the first time.


Because Turner's three cable channels don't have the same commitments to the nightly news and other regular programming as CBS, the tournament games will be more spread out starting this season.


That includes prime-time games on TBS, TNT and truTV during the first Sunday of the tournament.


The networks, which announced the full schedule Thursday, signed a 14-year, $10.8 billion deal as the NCAA decided to expand from 65 only to 68 teams, not 96.