The NCAA changed one of the officials at halftime of the Chattanooga–N.C. State game on Saturday because of a background conflict.
Tommi Paris was removed from the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament first-round game and replaced by Angelica Suffren, who had worked the first contest at the site.
“There was a switch of game officials at halftime of the Chattanooga-N.C. State first-round game because it was learned after the game had started that Umpire 2 Tommi Paris had a background conflict that, if known, would prevent her from working that assigned game,” the NCAA said in a statement after an inquiry from The Associated Press.
An online profile for Paris says that she received a master’s degree from Chattanooga. The NCAA asks all officials who are being considered for the NCAA Tournament to disclose school affiliations to avoid potential conflicts. In this case, it wasn’t disclosed.
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Suffren, who worked the earlier Green Bay–Tennessee game, was on the court for the second half of the Chattanooga-N.C. State game.
The decision to send Suffren back out to the court came “because it provided the most on-court experience and allowed the game to maintain a full officiating crew, plus standby,” the NCAA’s statement said.
N.C. State won 64-45.
Suffren assessed a fourth-quarter technical foul on Chattanooga coach Shawn Poppie with the Mocs trailing 50-28.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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