Ref removed from NCAA women’s basketball game at halftime over background conflict

RALEIGH, N.C. — The NCAA removed one of its on-court officials during halftime of Saturday’s women’s basketball tournament game between North Carolina State and Chattanooga because of a background conflict.

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Tommi Paris was removed from the first-round game in Raleigh, North Carolina, and was replaced by Angelica Suffern, who had worked the earlier contest at the site, The News & Observer reported.

According to Paris’ LinkedIn page, she earned a master’s degree in public administration from Chattanooga and was born in the Tennessee city, according to the newspaper. She attended Furman University for her undergraduate degree.

“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.

The NCAA asks all officials who are being considered for the NCAA Tournament to disclose school affiliations to avoid potential conflicts, according to The Associated Press.

Rick Nixon, NCAA associate director of media coordination, said that “in this instance, that wasn’t disclosed.”

“It’s important to note that conferences don’t do this during the regular season,” Nixon told The News & Observer. “They don’t have the same conflict restrictions.”

Asked if the NCAA had the resources to fact-check submissions, Nixon declined to comment.

“I’m not gonna answer that. I’m not really sure where that’s headed,” Nixon told the newspaper. “We asked for backgrounds that they provide. That’s the information that we have. In this particular instance, it wasn’t disclosed.

“We’ve always asked for that information to be provided, and we can only go based on what we have in front of us.”

The Wolfpack (28-6) won the game 64-45, and there was no indication of bias in the officiating, USA Today reported. The Mocs (28-5) were whistled for 18 fouls, while North Carolina State was called for 10.

“They literally just … got me in the locker room and said they were making a change,” Chattanooga coach Shawn Poppie said, according to the AP. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t see anything specific. Maybe the second time in my career that’s happened. But the other one there was an injury, so you knew. But this one, I’m not really sure.”

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