NCAA removes referee from recess due to background conflict

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The NCAA modified one in all its referees midway through Saturday’s Chattanooga-NC State game due to a background conflict.

Tommi Paris was removed from the first-round game of the NCAA Tournament and replaced by Angelica Suffren, who worked on-site in the course of the first competition.

“There was an official change at halftime of the first round of the Chattanooga-NC State game because after the game had started, it was learned that referee 2 Tommi Paris had a background conflict that, if known, would have prevented her from working her game assignment,” the NCAA said in a press release following an inquiry Associated Press.

Paris’ online profile shows that she earned her master’s degree from Chattanooga. The NCAA is asking all officials who’re being considered for the NCAA Tournament to disclose school affiliations to avoid potential conflicts. In this case it was not disclosed.

“They literally just … dragged me into the locker room and told me they were making a change,” Chattanooga coach Shawn Poppie said after learning at halftime. “I have no idea what happened. I didn’t see anything specific. This could be the second time this has happened in my profession. But the opposite one was injured, so that you knew. But I’m not entirely sure about that.

Suffren, who worked the sooner Green Bay-Tennessee game, was on the sphere for the second half of the Chattanooga-NC State game. Danielle Jackson was named because the substitute referee for the match.

Featured Stories

The decision to send Suffren back to the court was made “because it provided the most on-court experience and allowed for the officiating to be fully staffed and ready,” the NCAA said in a press release.

Poppie said: “I believed that was what standby was for. But I’m also latest to this. We are all learning. So I’m not entirely sure what happened.

NC State won 64-45.

Suffren assessed Poppi with a technical foul within the fourth quarter and the Mocs led 50-28.