The unusual changeover of officials that occurred at the halftime break of the women’s tournament game between North Carolina State and Chattanooga on Saturday sparked rumors and suspicion.
It was disclosed by the NCAA that Umpire 2 Tommi Paris had withdrew from the competition owing to a “background conflict.” The substitution was brought about as a result of this decision, which was revealed after the game had already begun.
Prior to the game, the fact that Paris had a master’s degree from Chattanooga was not disclosed; however, the NCAA has now made this information public.
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In order to avoid potential conflicts of interest, the organization requires all referees who are being considered for the NCAA Tournament to disclose any relationships they may have with schools who are competing in the tournament.
As a consequence of this, Angelica Suffren assumed the role of referee for the second half of the match, while Paris’s participation was ultimately discontinued.
Shawn Poppie, the head coach of Chattanooga, reminisced about the moment he was informed of the unexpected adjustment after the game was over. He expressed his surprise at the unexpected shift.
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Coach’s Surprise at Halftime Referee Change
He said, “They literally just… got me in the locker room and said they were making a change,” while pointing out that he did not have any knowledge regarding the particulars that were associated with the modification.
With only one other incident, which was due to an injury, this event was an exceptional occurrence for Poppie. In contrast, this “background conflict” was not mentioned until after it had already occurred.
In order to maintain fairness and integrity within the realm of collegiate sports, the incident brings to light the careful processes and comprehensive openness that are required in NCAA officiating.
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