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An NCAA referee was pulled from a women’s tournament game between NC State and Chattanooga at halftime Saturday due to a “background conflict,” the organization said.
Tommi Paris was the referee in question. She was replaced halfway through the match by Angelica Suffren.
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Official Tommi Paris runs across the court during the first half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina, Saturday, March 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
“There was a change of game officials during halftime of the Chattanooga-NC State First Round game because after the game had started it became known that Umpire 2 Tommi Paris had a background conflict that, if known, would prevent her from work in the assigned manner. game,” the NCAA told The Associated Press.
Paris received a master’s degree from Chattanooga, but that was not disclosed. The NCAA is asking all referees eligible for the NCAA Tournament to disclose any affiliation with the schools in the field of 68 to avoid conflicts.
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Official Tommi Paris watches as North Carolina’s Saniya Rivers handles the ball during the first round of the NCAA tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina, Saturday, March 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
Suffren worked the Green Bay-Tennessee game earlier in the day and was on the field for the second half.
Mocs head coach Shawn Poppie explained how he learned of the switch after the game.
“They literally brought me into the locker room and said they were making a change,” he said. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t see anything specific. Maybe that’s the second time in my career. But the other time there was an injury, so you knew. But this one, I’m not sure.”
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NC State won the game 64-45.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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